Some of you may be aware that I also work for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. I split my time between the ticket office and the front desk. I mention it here, because it really is a great grassroots, community-oriented organization. Instead of playing dumbed-down "pops" concerts with Ben Folds or Def Leppard cover bands like other major orchestras, the SPCO achieves accessibility by having super low ticket prices and by performing concerts in 10 different neighborhood locations throughout the metro.
Some items of note include $10 tickets for the best available seat to any concert for persons in their 20's or 30's, a random drawing for free tickets to family concerts (register before Friday here), and a newly announced lower ticket pricing scheme for the 10/11 season.
Personally I am excited about two upcoming concert weekends:
The city-wide Marimba 2010 International Festival & Conference that is taking place at the end of April includes two events with the SPCO. Fernando Meza will lead some of the world's top Marimba players on April 29 and May 1 at the Music Room in Downtown Saint Paul.
Thomas Adès, one of my favorite contemporary composers, is flying over the pond from England to conduct some of his own pieces with the orchestra at the Ordway in Downtown Saint Paul on April 2 and 3.
So to all you pop music devotees: spread you wings and explore a little. You'd be surprised by the textures and arrangements you might encounter. Orchestras can be truly magnificent...even when they're not playing the music of Queen. Reflecting on all the music I've heard through my tenure at the SPCO, I totally understand why the Classical folks call it "god's music"...and I'm not even a christian.
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