Senior vs Subscriber: What's the Better Option?

Gregory Hughes • June 27, 2023

It Might Be Time To Try A Subscription

With the change to Reserved Seating for the 2023/2024 Season also comes revised ticket pricing, as well. This has many of our patrons — especially those who’ve taken advantage of our longrunning commitment to offering lower prices for seniors — wondering, what’s the best deal? Should you purchase a Season Subscription or stick with Senior Tickets?

Season Subscriptions are by far the best way to attend ESO concerts. Season Subscriptions provide:

Better Discount
Better Seat Selection
More Flexibility

Better Discount

This requires a bit of math, so bear with us as we “show our work” below.

In the 2023/2024 Season, prices will be tiered so that an individual Senior Ticket will be priced as follows.

Green Zone – $42
Yellow Zone – $37
Red Zone – $32

For reference, you can view a color-coded seating chart here.

Let’s compare those individual Senior Ticket prices to Season Subscriptions. Using a 5-concert Series in the Green Zone, the math looks like this:

Senior Tickets: $42 x 5 concerts = $210
Subscription: 5 concerts for $170
Best Deal = Subscription

This math works out for other color zones and series, too.

Yellow Zone: $37 x 5 = $185 for Senior Tickets vs. $155 for a Subscription ($30 saved)
Red Zone: $32 x 5 = $160 for Senior Tickets vs $140 for a Subscription ($20 saved)

Finally, let’s look at one more example: The least expensive Season Subscription is a 3-concert Series in the Red Zone (again, a seat map can be viewed here) for $90. Compare that to $96 for Seniors ($32 x 3 concerts), and the Season Subscription still provides the best discount.

Seat Selection

Another major advantage of a Season Subscription is the seats and when you can buy them. Season Subscriptions are on sale now, months before Senior Tickets go on sale in August. This means Season Subscribers are able to scoop up the best seats before they even go on sale to single ticket buyers.

When you also consider that Season Subscribers get to keep the same seats from year to year, the benefits of buying your favorite seats as early as possible are even more pronounced.

Flexibility

Last but not least, Season Subscribers receive Unlimited Complimentary Ticket Exchanges all season long. Single ticket buyers, including those purchasing Senior Tickets, do not.

Imagine this scenario: You’ve purchased a Senior Ticket to an upcoming ESO concert. At the last minute, your friend decides to join you. But there’s a problem: There are no open seats near your Senior Ticket for your friend to purchase, so you can’t sit together at the concert.

With a Season Subscription, however, your seat can be moved to anywhere in the concert hall with a quick email or call to our office. We can find a pair (or trio, or quartet) of open seats for you and your friends to enjoy together at the concert.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Mail

ESO Announces Winner of the 2025 Stanger Young Artist Competition

May 12, 2025

The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra is thrilled to announce that Tong-Bai Deng , pianist, has been named the winner of the 2025 Stanger Young Artist Competition. The announcement was made live at the conclusion of the Rising Stars of Stanger concert on Saturday, May 10, 2025, held at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. Deng earned top honors for his electrifying performance of Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Movement IV , captivating both the audience and judges with his technical command and passionate artistry. The concert featured three finalist performances by exceptional high school musicians: Tong-Bai Deng , piano — Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (Mvt. IV) Sarah Gomez , Sam Deverman , Elyse Schlesinger , and Julian Kolthammer , horns — Robert Schumann’s Konzertstück for Four Horns and Orchestra Neal Eisfeldt , violin — Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto (Mvt. I) The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Assistant Conductor Eli Chen , also performed Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Movement I , rounding out a dynamic and celebratory afternoon of music. A panel of esteemed judges— Andrea Lafranzo , Michael Lewanski , and Peter Lipari —was embedded in the audience to evaluate each finalist on musicianship, interpretation, and stage presence before announcing the winner live from the stage. “This competition is one of the most inspiring events we host all year,” said Michael Surratt, Coordinator of the Stanger Young Artist Competition. “We are so proud of all the finalists and extend our warmest congratulations to Tong-Bai Deng for his extraordinary performance.” The Stanger Young Artist Competition is an annual tradition that supports and celebrates the next generation of classical musicians by offering high school performers the opportunity to appear as soloists with a professional orchestra. It is in part sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst , whose generous and ongoing support is gratefully acknowledged. For more information on the competition or upcoming performances, please visit ElmhurstSymphony.org or contact the ESO office at 630-941-0202 (Monday-Friday 10AM-3PM).