# How is the music scene in your city?



## LFcatface (Nov 21, 2007)

I would like to read about the various local music scenes of members on this board.

This forum has members from all over the world and although my career has taken me to many cities, a visitor never sees a place the way a native or a resident does. 

I am interested in gathering view points, so if you do not agree with what someone has posted about their city and you see it differently simply make a post from your perspective please. I hope this will make this thread flame retardant.


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## Edward Elgar (Mar 22, 2006)

I'm from a town called Ossett, near to Leeds, which has lots of oppertunities for music making in Orchestras, bands and the like. Nearer still is Huddersfield University which hosts Europe's largest contemporary music festival. I'm in Wakefield Youth Symphony Orchestra which is very proffesional.


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## Oneiros (Aug 28, 2006)

In terms of classical music, it's probably equally dreary in all Australian cities, so I won't say anything more about mine.


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## marval (Oct 29, 2007)

In my town of Milton Keynes we have the MK city orchestra based in our theatre and MK chorale, there is also a Gilbert and sullivan society.

We have a large outdoor venue called The bowl where all sorts of concerts happen, Last year we had Robbie Williams, but each year in the summer there is a classical concert, followed by a firework display, I can either go or open my bedroon window and listen.

We also have a Yamaha music school.


Just ouside Milton Keynes is the Stables, where John Dankworth and Cleo Laine live, they have all sorts of music from rock to classical.

I think the music is there if you want to find it, our local paper has an events section so you can always find out what is going on.


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## LFcatface (Nov 21, 2007)

Thanks, for your info, I am waiting to hear more,!


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## LFcatface (Nov 21, 2007)

*London*

The music scene in London is fantastic as one would expect from one of the greatest cities in the world. It would be a very long post to even skim the surface so I will skip to the one aspect that I find particularly special.

The Summer Proms series is especially notable because of the way it integrates western art music into the mainstream culture.

It is held in the Royal Albert Hall, which hosts and has hosted a number of cultural and communtiy events from graduation ceremonies to boxing matches. The Hall does not have a great acoustic, but because of it's large size it is possible to have great artists appear and keep the entrance fee for the cheap seats very low.

There is a whole culture that revolves around getting the standing seats which are , I think, the cheapest, but you can be right up next to the stage if you get there early enough. Perhaps the sound there is much better that the cheap sitting areas which are near the top , that I frequent. The opening and especially the closing nights have a whole London tradition associated with then, which I find interesting.

In addition some of the late night concerts have very , very adventurous programing which is to the credit of the cutural life of London.

The "vibe" I get at the proms is similar to that which I experienced at the Arena di Verona, where they perform opera out doors in a Roman arena and sell food and drinks similar to the way they are sold at a sporting event.

I am taken with the Proms , I think, especially since I am not originally from Europe, the place from which, western art music sprang. I would encourage any western art music fan who is not originally from Europe,yes even Americans, Canadians and Aussies too spend some time in the native lands of the countries from which the music of their interest sprung, in order to more deeply understand it.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

I'm not much more than a half-hour railway ride from Philadelphia, and I'm also about a 1+ hour coach trip away from New York City. At the present time, it seems that the "gravitational pull" of New York is stronger, in spite of the extra travel time/distance/expense. [I suppose it was not always thus.]

However, in many ways, I'm still an utter "newbie" to the New York scene, so for me to comment on it would be like someone who visited Oak Street Beach commenting on the hydrology of Lake Michigan.

I'm much better prepared to discuss the scene of my former hometown, Chicago... but I'm _still_ not the best person to comment on it, as our friend the "contrarian lemming" (a.k.a.: *RebLem*) was there longer, and more recently, as well.

Regardless, I don't want to go without mentioning Chicago's unique local treasure, the _Ravinia Festival_. Lots of cities have an Orchestra Hall... some even host a world-class orchestra (like Chicago's). Many also have a repertory opera house. But Ravinia is really special. "Nothing like it under the stars!" (or so the slogan goes).


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## David C Coleman (Nov 23, 2007)

Hi!,

I live in Birmingham, (UK one, not Alabama) ). And the main cultural centre is Symphony Hall, which offers not only classical music concerts, but other events as well at reasonable prices. Something for most tastes, I would say! 
It's the home of City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra which was recently directed by Sir Simon Rattle, who has now gone onto greater things as the chief conductor of the Berlin Phil.
I enclose a link for you to browse at leisure. You would be most welcome if you ever wanted to come over..

http://www.thsh.co.uk/page/symphony-hall-birmingham/


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## Aigen (Jul 30, 2007)

Hi David, I live not a million miles from Brum and we've always been jealous of your symphony hall. I saw some Mozart performed there a few years ago. We have some good concerts in our city, I'm going to see Mozart's arrangement of Handel's Messiah next week. But on the whole your city wins hands down. Our only decent venue is De Montfort Hall so that perhaps gives my location away.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

In Arizona there are Symphony Orchestras in both Phoenix and Tucson, two of the major metropolitan areas of the state. Tucson Symphony has Steven Moeckel, virtuoso violinist, as their Concertmaster. Great symphonic performances in both regional areas - but there are equally as good groups all over the nation.


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## QuestionMark (Dec 23, 2007)

Most would snicker at the mention of Toledo, Ohio as a source of musical culture, yet this blue-collar, rust belt city (not to mention my home town) has a lot to offer.

For starters, it has an internationally acclaimed art museum, containing what many consider one of the finest glass collections in the world. It was one of only three American museums permitted by the Spanish government to host the 1982 El Greco exhibition (Dallas and the National Gallery being the other two).

Contained within this beautiful museum is a 1600-seat concert hall called the Peristyle, which has seen the greatest artists of the the 20th century grace its stage. It is also home to the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, which, for its size, is one of the best regional orchestras you'll find anywhere. Because of its proximity to Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Cleveland, it is able to draw some exceptional musicians to its ranks.

And many prominent artists seem to have great affection for the TSO and have made repeated appearances with it. Andre Watts has been a regular visitor and even did local TV promos for the orchestra. Rostropovich chose Toledo as one of the venues for his 75th birthday tour, and Maxim Shostakovich conducts his father's works with the TSO every few years. The orchestra's current principal conductor is Stefan Sanderling, son of Kurt Sanderling.

Well, that's my spiel. Just wanted folks to know that besides London, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, etc. there are still some great musical treasures to be found in the American heartland.


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