Three myths debunked
Three Classical Music Myths Debunked
Myth: Symphony Concerts are for Old Rich People
Truth: Concerts are for Everyone
It's no secret that older folks get out more, especially after their own kids are grown, and that includes attending symphony orchestra concerts. This has way more to do with how much leisure time one has (retirees have a lot!) than how much money one has. But the truth is, people of all ages can — and do! — attend and enjoy symphony concerts.
Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra concert tickets cost $12–$45. Compare that to the average cost of other live concerts (TLDR: it's $130.81, yikes), and you'll see that our concerts are accessible to everyone.
Myth: I Don't Know Enough About Classical Music
Truth: Yes, actually, you do!
Let's take baseball as an example: Do you need to understand batting average, ERA, OBP, SLG, and RBIs to enjoy a baseball game? Absolutely not. (And good, because we're not sure what all those acronyms actually mean). A casual baseball fan can enjoy a game, beer and hot dog included, just as much as an expert can.
Classical music is no different. Knowing about sonata form or functional harmony might be enjoyable for some, but others like to sit back and simply listen the music. Besides, classical music is all around us in movie soundtracks, social media videos, TV commercials.... you know more of it than you realize!
Myth: You Simply Must Dress Up for the Symphony
Truth: Nope!
People enjoy concerts most when they are comfortable. Sometimes folks choose to dress up to the nines and make an evening of it, but most people wear everyday casual clothes. You do you!
In case you'd appreciate some photos, here are actual people from actual Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra concerts wearing clothes and being happy...
