Taking the Bus in Our Finest Clothes
Last week Martin and I went on the coolest date. We put on some of our nicest clothes and got on the bus. I know, “bus” doesn’t exactly scream amazing date. That’s why we got on the double decker and sat behind these gentlemen, who were also sporting some of their nicest clothes.

I have to tell you that it’s a very interesting experience to get off a bus along with several dozen other well dressed people.
We were all going to the symphony. Martin and I are crazy about live music and orchestras. It completely changes your perspective on classic music. Suddenly those Bugs Bunny cartoons you grew up with take on a whole new meaning. The classical music feels like it’s a part of you like nothing ever has.

In Berlin, we’re constantly being introduced to the composer who just happens to be in the audience. Or the composer is one of the musicians in the group. And tickets are NOT that expensive. We’re talking 15 bucks for some seats.
Last week we saw something a bit different. Instead of a full-fledged orchestra, it was four drummers – four drummers who could move their hands faster than hummingbirds kissing the flowers. I never knew I could love listening to four drummers so much.

Then again, before we went to our first concert, Martin and I didn’t really think we’d like classical music either.
Now what I really want to know is whether this guy dusts his own house. Just look at those brooms flying over the drums. Those two blurs beneath his hands – gosh, just think of how fast he could clean house!

Have you ever seen a professional orchestra or musical performance? I promise it’s worth every penny just to experience in the big city.








June 4th, 2010 at 7:51 am
I recently got a chance to see Star Wars in concert. It was a live orchestra playing all the music from the six movies.
Along with that they had two, two story high screens that they used to show clips as the concert went on. It was fantastic!
June 4th, 2010 at 8:15 am
I really enjoy live musical performances. As a former high school band student, I also participated in my fair share of live performances. I always liked watching our percussion ensemble perform. They came up with some of the most creative and entertaining shows.
One of my favorite professional musical performances to see live has been the group BLAST! They give a combination of theatrical and musical performance.
June 4th, 2010 at 8:23 am
Us musicians appreciate these shout-outs. Reminds us that someone is listening and enjoying, so we don’t have to feel we’re playing for ourselves! I love the Philharmonie. For orchestras, it’s acoustically one of the best houses I’ve been to. Also the Berlin Phil. is one of the top two or three orchestras in the world. They often have rush tix for 10 euro!
Which reminds me… I haven’t been in awhile!
June 4th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I love music…and there’s nothing like actually being at a performance. I look music as God’s love gift to all of us!!!
By the way…..loved the picture of you two…you make such a cute couple together!!!
Wishing you a super great weekend!
June 4th, 2010 at 10:23 am
Before I stayed home with my kids, I worked for the orchestra in my city in management, so I’ve seen hundreds of performances and rehearsals. Musicians are great to work with, although in the US their profession is really struggling. Mid-size orchestras are under-funded. I wish more people would take part in experiencing a night of live symphonic music (or opera, or ballet — all good).
June 4th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Just popped over from Flying Lessons, and WOW, very impressed with your blog! Beautiful and inspiring! I’ll definitely be back for more! :)
June 4th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Neat! I have been to classical music performances – and always tell myself afterward that I’ll listen to more classical at home. But then I always end up listening to my Cure cds on repeat, again. :)
June 4th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Love Classical music. Yes I have seen live orchestras. I’ve performed in Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City now for 7 years with a live orchestra when we perform in our choir every year. It is so amazing to be in one of those concert halls and even more amazing to perform in them.
I actually got to perform as one of Lyle Lovett’s gospel backup singers once when he came to Salt Lake one year in that same concert hall. He hired 8 from our choir and we practiced for 3 hours in the green room and sang the last two songs.
I know, he is not classical, but I was talking about the wonderful concert hall. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abravanel_Hall
You feel so fancy going to something there.
have a great day, Katie!!!
~a
June 5th, 2010 at 12:29 am
Hello there – I love your blog. YOu are writing about a lot of the things that interest me. Particularly decluttering and living a simpler life. And living in a small space (hey where does the NEED to declutter come from if you live with mountains of space!?) WE live in a small ish house in Brighton UK. And I am on the flying lessons course. I am overwhelmed by it to be honest! Mind you I am also doing MOndo Beyondo at the same time – not veyr clever, but then Flying Lessons isn’t going to happen again for a long time! I think its because of the time difference too, I wake up and there are a thousand comments already!! anyway great blog and fablous kitchen. We have a bit more space, but 2 doorways, and then probably another to work around. very inspiring thank you
June 5th, 2010 at 5:29 am
Wowzers – some of you are performers? Yeah! Thank you for bringing such beautiful music to the world. We’re complete addicts.
Katie
June 5th, 2010 at 7:44 am
Dearest katie, your blog is amazingly inspirational! It sounds really fun to be dressy and taking a bus ride! I too enjoy live music and orchestras! I’ve been to one and it was wonderful! Have a lovely merry happy weekend and love to yoU!
June 5th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
I’ve taken public transit to the opera, and that’s fun too. :) Yay classical music! Percussionists are awesome :)
June 5th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
That sounds so cool! I was a percussionist for a while, actually, and being able to move that fast takes sooooo much practice and discipline. What a fun concert, though! I think it’s really cool that people take the bus to go to the symphony. We have a light rail here in Denver that we’ll take when we go downtown, whenever possible. It’s so much easier getting off the stop and walking than driving, dealing with one-way streets, finding and using expensive parking, and then walking anyway.
June 6th, 2010 at 11:41 am
Hi Katie! Just popping in from Flying Lessons….I am just loving your blog!
June 6th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
I love classical music and opera. I’ve played violin my whole life, have a degree in music performance, yadda yadda. So I’m used to the music, but it’s always refreshing to find that other ‘young’ people are into it. And how exciting to be able to go in Europe! I was in an orchestra in high school that toured every other summer, and one summer we were in Germany and Austria among other places. Such beautiful concert halls!!
June 6th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
How fun for you! Getting dressed up and out for a night on the town! In Berlin – wow!! As a kid I was taken to a lot of concerts, operas and plays in LA. To be perfectly honest…I really did not appreciate the experiences that much in my youth. But I discovered my love for classical music in college and nothing beats a live musical performance! We get in a rut of not going out in the evenings but when we force ourselves (actually when I drag my husband kicking and screaming) to attend a performance we enjoy it SO much! (Yes, we both enjoy it-my husband even thanks me for making him go!) We have recently had in our small city the end-of-the-year recitals for the high school music major seniors. It is amazing how talented these young adults are and what a fantastic performance they present.
June 7th, 2010 at 12:08 am
I love the Berlin Philharmonie for its amazing sound. Great for you to be so near, Katie!
We have a subscription to the Munich Philharmonie for about eight years now. I can recommend this to everyone: you don’t have to remember to buy tickets, the tickets are cheaper also, you have a date we write in our calendars at the beginning of the season, we listen to wonderful music, and – maybe best of all – over the years we got to know some really nice people with whom we go out for dinner afterwards. It’s a great way to meet friends regularly. We have the Saturday series – it starts at 7 p.m., so it doesn’t get too late if we go out later.
As an active performer, I am always worried to see the audiences get older and older. So I want encourage you all to give classical concerts a try – maybe even take your children to special concerts. Live music is such an amazing experience!
June 7th, 2010 at 7:14 am
Martina – your description of a white-haired audience is so true. However I’m finding that the bigger the city, the greater the ratio of young people attending. So when we see the audiences in Berlin or Denver, I never doubt that music like this will continue to thrive in some ways.
Katie
June 14th, 2010 at 7:55 am
I love classical music and love to dress up and go to the opera in Germany. For anybody going there regularly it is cheaper to buy a prescription/abo. This way i pay my tickets 35% less.