Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Seeing Amos Lee perform with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra was an unforgettable experience. His soulful voice combined with the rich, powerful sound of the symphony created a truly magical evening. Every song felt elevated by the lush arrangements and the sheer talent of the musicians on stage. The venue itself, Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center, is absolutely beautiful. The acoustics were incredible, allowing every note to resonate perfectly throughout the hall. The seating was very comfortable, and we had a wonderful view of the stage, making the performance even more enjoyable. During intermission, we visited the Delta Lounge, which was a lovely bonus to the evening. It offered a relaxing atmosphere with plenty of comfortable seating and a nice selection of drinks, providing the perfect spot to unwind before the second half of the show. The staff throughout the venue were professional and welcoming, helping to create a seamless and enjoyable experience from start to finish. From the stunning performance to the elegant setting, every detail came together for a night that I will not soon forget. If you have the opportunity to see a performance at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, it is absolutely worth it.

I took my 4 year old and my 20 year old to the Tortoise and the Hare performance. It was her first Orchestra experience. It was 45 minutes long with pre-concert activities. She loved it! It was a great performance and she received the Tortoise and the Hare book to take home with her... We had a fantastic time!

Great experience!! Went to see Black Violin, the show was amazing. I even got to sample the cello and violin. I will be making more trip to this symphony hall.

Great size venue. We have been to several shows here and it is a great facility. The only down side is having to go downtown and park

Fantastic experience. Would recommend the movies I’m concert to anyone. I wish they would do more popular movies such as lord of the rings or Star Wars.

ASO played the soundtrack to Harry Potter.. Deathly Hallows 1. Justin Freer was conducting. The performance was absolutely terrific. The ASO is great

Always have a great time at ASO, wonderful performances and a great atmosphere.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!! I went to see the live symphony of the movie The Holiday. It was simply SPECTACULAR!!! The venue is stunningly beautiful, and the pictures don't do it justice, and the ambiance during the holidays can be underscored!!! The performance was excellent, and I can't wait to attend another like it. The lines for snacks and drinks were a little long, but they moved quickly. We stayed at The Starling Hotel and walked to the venue. It was the PERFECT idea. The seats had pretty good leg room space. I'm 5'5, and I didn't have to move when people needed to get to their seats next to me. The theater is inclined to your view isn't obstructed by other people. A must visit if you enjoy the arts!!!

My husband and I had a great time for a Behind the Curtains taping of the ASO on a Friday night. We had spectacular seats in the right orchestra, front row. It was like sitting with the musicians and watching and playing with them. They honored Mrs, Hill's 100th birthday, who started the youth program to help young back and Hispanic teens an opportunity to play in an orchestra beginning in 1993. In fact, the cellist, Brandon Leonard, is an 18 year old who participated in the program and was now at Juilliard his first year. It was an inspiring night and I appreciate seeing the conductor, Nathalie Stutzmann, for the first time. Truly a remarkable night with so much talent in our city!

This was my first time visiting the Symphony in years. My partner and I went to Black Panther in Concert. The Orchestra was amazing, but the real gem was seeing Massamba Diop, the Senagalese drum soloist who performed alongside the orchestra. The acoustics were exemplary, which is no surprise, but the experience of hearing the live score with original musicians is unmatched. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who enjoys live music.

Incredible! If you have the chance to go to one of the Harry Potter Concerts, go! The overall atmosphere is fun and interactive with photo ops. Also loved the bar and snack selection. Great date idea!

We attended the Saturday performance of Beethoven's 9th Symphony in October. We ended up parking at Colony Square's underground deck (which is only about a block away) since we had dinner there. When you arrive at Symphony Hall, they do not seat you until 30 minutes prior to the start time of the performance. We got seated in shortly after they opened the hall. The performance format was standard - a couple of filler offerings up front (maybe we can just forego any 'premiers' of anything from the past 50 - 60 years to save time?) and an intermission.. And then, the 9th. I had never heard this 'live' before. It was an experience to savor and remember! In addition, they had a new conductor (Natalie ???). I do not care if the conductor is male / female/ other / robot / etc., as long as the music is good - and it was very good this evening! The orchestra receive a long (and deserved) standing ovation! I have seen probably 20 or more ASO performances over the years. I think they do good work, but am not a regular member. If you choose a work that you truly enjoy, I definitely recommend this.

Hands down the best Symphony Orchestra I attended on 10/7 and Nathalie Stutzmann was the music director, you could feel her love and passion for the music such a joy to watch. The Harpist Xavier De Maister was breathtaking. I love the Pyotr IIyich Tchaikovsky piece and lastnight's arrangement was just pure electrifying.

So when I hear the name, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, I have great expectations for the hall and entire experience. The problem is, I have been to the Georgia Tech Orchestra, and there wasn't anything putting the Atlanta Symphony even a slight notch higher. The venue: Woodruff Arts Center - home for three attractions: High Museum, Alliance Theater, and The Symphony. They require vaccination card with ID, or 48h or less negative Covid test for 13 and older. Masks are required. The hall itself was average. I'd say the CMX movie theater at Halcyon in Alpharetta has me wanting to visit it more than the symphony. The staging was undesirable. Could not even see all the musicians. If I wanted to HEAR the music, I could put on a "CD" (revealing my age), at least I didn't say a record ( =p) . I want to SEE the musicians and the beautiful instruments they are playing. All the musicians are stacked one in front of the other. I probably would not visit again on my own accord. If a friend wanted to take me, I'd accompany. Also, the best thing I heard that night was a patron talking to his friend. He said, "Golly, it's been 2 years into the pandemic, you'd think they could TURN ON THE WATER FOUNTAINS!" That is so true, give me a break about shutting off the water. So many people were visiting the multiple bathrooms and attempting to get water. We were lucky when one lady discovered one. Then the line at that fountain grew like it was offering magical elixir. Mind you, there are two concession bars to purchase beverages/snacks. Parking: Steep

#DateNights should be a special night regardless if your going out with someone for the first time or parents getting their night out from their kids. #MommyAndDaddyNeedAMoment Many of us don't get to have date night as much as we would like so picking something that isn't the same old restaurant or the same movie is important. Atlanta is an amazing city with cultural options all over the place. We recently had the pleasure of enjoying the #AtlantaSymphony who played the score of one of our favorite movies #BlackPanther. This was the first time that we have watched the #BlackPanther in its entirety since the passing of #ChadwickBoseman. A true legend and a king. Not only did we get the privilege of watching a beautifully created score being played live. The amazement that hits you when you realize your not listening to the @MarvelStudios introduction being played from the movie but its being performed LIVE is unbelievable. What truly took our breathe away was the appearance of #MassambaDiop who is the Senegalese drum soloist heard through out the movie. Watching him play along side the #AtlantaSymphony was simply breathtaking. If you have never watched a movie with the live score being played do yourself a favor and check out www.ASO.org and find out what other movies they will be playing. Now while this was a #DateNight for us there were many parents who brought their kids to experience this level of art and culture. I think that we should expose our children to that as early as possible. We cant wait to take our daughter to her first live orchestra performance. What experiences have you and your spouse on #datenight that you loved?

A fine concert venue. This is the arts though & in pandemic Atlanta, be sure to bring your ID, mask, AND vaccine card, or get there early enough to get & pay for a rapid Covid test. Have seen the ASO previously & tonight the fabulous David Foster with an assortment of amazing talents to help sing his fabulous repertoire of hits.

The presentation of Deep Field was nothing short of painful. AI graphics for 25 minutes and music which was noise to accompany the computer images.

At 9.26 this morning (June 15, 2022) I called the box office to ask about purchasing symphony tickets for next season. I was shocked at how rudely I was treated after asking a simple question about the availability of individual tickets. This fellow hung up on me when I asked him to try to be polite. It's amazing the box office would have anyone answer the phone who alienates customers. ASO fan and classical music enthusiast, Lilburn, GA. PS. Sunday's Mahler's 3rd was magnificent.

Wow! I've never experienced the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and as an Atlanta native, that's a mistake because again, wow, this is an outstanding performance. My gf and I paid the Woodruff Arts center (which is home to the Orchestra) during their Christmas special in early December, and were treated to not only the Atlanta symphony orchestra, but also the orchestra chorus, the Morehouse College Glee club, and the Gwinnett Young Singers. Norman Mackenzie was the director of choruses, and you'd think once the music started playing that it was a recording, considering how no one on the stage missed a beat. The show was about an hour and a half, give or take a few minutes, but no intermission, so plan accordingly. Time does fly by with the excellent performances (I personally think the Morehouse Glee Club stole the show) so you probably wont mind the lack of an intermission. We sat on the lower level center, but there is balcony seating as well. Prices vary by where you sit. The only thing that might match the sounds provided by the orchestra are the decorations in the Woodruff Arts Center. Holiday cheer could be seen all around, and I really enjoyed my time here. I may or may not pay the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra a visit during other events, but I must tell you that i'll happily go back to their Christmas special again. I hope you get to check them out!

Went there for a Harry Potter concert ( Prisoner of Azkaban ) because my kids have just binged watch all Harry potter movie. In addition they are both learning piano so i thought i would be a great experience to see a live concert and see all the amazing things you can do with instrument. they did show the film above the orchestra so sometimes we tend to match the movie instead of experiencing the concert, that would be the only negative i have. not our 1st concert but i always have a lot of respect for all those musicians, so much time and effort so we can enjoy the concert. it is a little pricey but totally worth every dollar. Can t wait for the next concert we can attend !

"As my father used to say to me, just because you've been bumped up to first chair in the orchestra, doesn't mean you can compose a symphony." -- The Blacklist: Season 3, Episode 1 I love the ASO! I enjoy classical music, but mostly I'm a nerd for movie scores. Can I just say how much the ASO gets me? The ASO does a film series - I'll say that there is nothing cooler than watching your favorite films on the big screen while you are hearing the orchestra play the film score LIVE! Every moving scene you loved before, is more amazing with the music swelling right in front of you. And lucky for me, they have been doing some of the most amazing John Williams score flicks. My first experience was Raiders of the Lost Ark - it was like being a kid all over again. Indy running thru the jungle to the plucking of strings and beating of drums building up at a rapid pace. You cannot go wrong. You want to get your kids to respect and love music without lyrics - this is the way to do it. This time I watched a 7 year-old (dressed as Harry Potter) cheer and applaud for the string section as his movie hero battled he-who-must-not-be-named. Droves of fans came in their House colors and robes and cheered, booed, applauded and gave a standing ovation for the amazing performance for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. This is worth the $60 I spent for 3 hours (for a movie I've seen over a dozen times) to be enthralled and entertained and taken on an emotional journey with Ron, Hermione and Harry and our amazing Symphony Orchestra. Take a night out with the family for this wonderful experience.

I love my ASO. We lived here for almost 9 years, and even if Delta didn't pay me a whole hell of a lot of money back then, we would go to see ASO whenever we can. This time around, I found out pretty close to my birthday visit that Joshua Bell was playing on Opening Night of their 75th year! So I surreptitiously secured tix to the Friday concert, and kept it from my wife to create a bit of a surprise (her birthday was 12 days prior), since she's such a Bell fan. Sadly, our daughter was not feeling her best day of, and we ended up wasting a ticket going just with our SIL (son was working). But the program was superb: Wagner's Meistersinger overture to start, followed by Higdon's concerto for Orchestra, which I'd never heard before, live or otherwise. It was an absolute blast. It was cool that she was there in the audience. The second half comprises the Winiawski concerto and the famous Zigeuerweisen - all Bell! What a tour de force on the violin. So satisfying. Just a trifle miff that he withheld an encore from us the greedy audience. But maybe his tank was just dry after those two pieces, which I get.

After my first time hearing the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, I was absolutely blown away. So, I waited until the next time before I reviewed to make sure it wasn't an anomaly - you know, like Lindsay sober. Last night's 2011 Holiday concert, based on a program made famous by Robert Shaw and impeccably led by Shaw-disciple Norman McKenzie, clinched it for me: this is one of the best cultural experiences in the city, hands down. It's also one of the finest choirs I've ever heard. Full disclosure: my honey sings in the choir and really enjoys the tutelage of Mr. McKenzie and his fellow choir geeks. But I can set that aside and tell you confidently that, if you're not going to hear this choir, or the symphony at all, you're an idiot. Yes, there, I said it. Get off your damn couch or out of the bar or step away from Taco Mac for a day and go hear these folks. It will change you. I promise. On that point, last night I was moved to a new place for a number of reasons. The ASO concertmaster, violinist David Coucheron, did a Vivaldi solo that was sublime - expert, nuanced and masterful. I'm not so big into violin but I was hanging on to every note - particularly because it was set against the a choir concert. The ASOC's male voices last night were especially compelling, although I was sitting house-left and couldn't hear the gals as much. The pinnacle of the evening, though, was the Morehouse College Glee Club, which was performing opposite another, female singing group from Gwinnett. I'm a huge fan of gospel, but their performance transcended the genre altogether because their director had them in a remarkable, tightly controlled unison that blew everyone away. They are apparently quite the sought-after group, performing around the country and with various different groups. I made a promise to myself last night that I'd go and see one of their concerts so I can hear the whole set instead of sprinkled in with other performers. Well done. I'd be remiss issuing this review without stating how much I loathe this hall itself. We need to solve our differences, whatever they may be, so we can move to the next phase with our city's symphony and build the future. This concert venue is an embarrassment for a city wanting, needing and deserving a world-class hall along the lines of Sydney Opera House, and it continually frustrates me that the sound quality lessens the impact of an otherwise stellar music program. Still, go see these folks as soon as you can. You can even lift a pint in celebration at Taco Mac afterward.

Seen Kingfish play while I was I. Atlanta. The place was very nice and a great staff. Will definitely go back if I'm in rhe area. The show was awesome as well.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is an Atlanta treasure. If you have yet to see our city's wonderful orchestra and world-renowned chorus, make sure to add it to your bucket list. The holidays are a great time to take a trip to Symphony Hall and enjoy some local culture. If classical music isn't your thing, Symphony Hall hosts other artists at this acoustically awesome venue. I've been lucky to see some of my favorite musicians here, most recently Tori Amos and Morrissey. Since I live nearby, I can walk to the Woodruff Arts Center, but there are plenty of parking and transit options for those further afield. Also be sure to check out the Symphony Chips at the concession stand and support a local Atlanta business. Encore!

Excellent shows always!!!! ASO puts on a majestic show. Beautiful and exciting. Definitely recommend the Christmas festivities!

Since coming to Atlanta, we decided that we would re introduce ourselves to classical music. We most other artsy things around town, why not get back to listening to some of the greats? The Atlanta Symphony has grown as the city has grown attracting talent that has transformed this orchestra into a world class performance. Performing downtown next to the High Museum, the ASO has also brought in a lot of famous conductors and musicians that help highlight what a great group they have become. Throughout the season, there is a sprinkling of music created by composers throughout time and a lot of them are likely familiar to the common person. Piano concertos to orchestral favorites (Tchaikovsky, Mozart, etc) were some of the pieces that stood out in my mind. We even had a great opportunity to have stage seating to see Lang Lang, the famous Chinese piano prodigy that played at the Beijing Olympics. While yes the audience consists mostly of older white folk who have season passes, it is nice to see that there is a growing number of young people who for a change put down their phones to listen to something other than the chimes of candy crush (oof, who's the old man now?). There is plenty of parking around but if you purchase parking with your ticket you can park in the parking structure where the orchestra plays. Without prepaid parking, just park across the street. It's about the same price and you're not fighting with a bunch of people. Or you can be classy and just take an uber!

What a wonderful Christmas program! The pace was brisk b/c there were so many beautiful songs to cover. One song barely ended before the next one began. The talent of the musicians and singers was top-notch. It seemed that all the players, singers and conductor were enjoying themselves as much as the audience. The setting and acoustics were superb. My thanks to the staff as well. They were all very helpful and polite.

[Location] Corner of Peachtree Street NE and 15th Street NE Their parking garage on Arts Center Way NE [Interior and Atmosphere] A huge and beautiful venue. Lots of lounging area. [Experience] I got to sit in the first row last week, for the "April 12/14 program," and it was absolutely amazing! Although I enjoy movie scores more than classical music, the musicians performed with much passion and channeled it in portraying the novella of Taras Bulba (One of the pieces during the program). The venue itself was fun to explore and look around [Service] Staffs were friendly and willing to help me, even when I was lost. [Amenities] The "twelve eighty" bar which provides coffee, snacks, desserts, spirits, beer, and other refreshments. Delta SKY360 Club inside the venue. An underground parking garage that has an elevator upward, which brings you up and next to the venue. There are parking garages around ASO as well, if you prefer to park somewhere else. [Summary] If I have one of those Saturdays where I have absolutely nothing to do, I probably will return to watch a music score program there and rate my experience as well. Thanks, ASO!

Coming here brought back sooooo many memories! I came here often as a child for plays and ballets and to be honest this place looks just like it did when I was little...well the main lobby is pretty updated but the theater itself is the same. I like that even though we sat in the balcony area for the show we attended we were still able to see everything as though we were up front and the acoustics here are great. Not overpowering at all. The staff on duty are more than happy to help you find your seat and to answer any questions you may have. A nice venue for a concert or a play and definitely a landmark in Atlanta's history!

While I enjoy classical music, I don't really consider myself a true fan of the genre. I do love symphonic arrangements though, most of which originate from movie and video game scores. To date, I've attended four performances by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: 1. 2005 - Dear Friends - Music from Final Fantasy 2. 2009 - Georgia Tech Young Alumni / Bravo! Event 3. 2011 - Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy 4. 2013 - Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy I had an absolute blast at the Final Fantasy concerts. You can read my comprehensive reviews of the Distant Worlds concerts at the following links: 2011: http://www.yelp.com/biz/distant-worlds-chicago 2013: http://www.yelp.com/biz/distant-worlds-music-from-final-fantasy-atlanta-2 The 2005 and 2011 Final Fantasy concerts sold out. The 2005 concert was one day. The 2011 and 2013 concerts were two-day shows. The 2013 concert brought a lot of fans, but unfortunately, didn't sell out. I hope that doesn't mean the end of Final Fantasy concerts by the ASO. I think it's commendable the ASO recognized and was willing to perform video game music. Not only did it result in presumably lucrative sold-out shows, but it introduced a different audience and demographic to the ASO. I also had a lot of fun at the 2009 concert which, to my recollection, was a joint collaboration between the Georgia Tech Young Alumni group and the ASO's Bravo! young professionals group, which raises money to support the ASO's programs and initiatives. I'm not sure if Bravo! still exists today. The event had a pre-symphony cocktail hour which took place in a separate room at Woodruff Arts Center. It included hors d'oeuvres, wine, and champange. The 2009 concert was a different experience from the Final Fantasy concerts because it was a "regular" night at the symphony. Traditional, classical pieces were played and I was not familiar with most, if any, of the pieces. Instead of a young, energetic, nerdy, geeky, cosplaying audience, the crowd was older, more sophisticated, and "mature" for lack of a better word. It was almost a "wine and cheese" type demographic. Those folks were genuine lovers of classical music and it showed. I was never in my school's symphony (though I did play 2nd chair trumpet in band in middle school) and since I wasn't familiar with that night's music, it didn't resonate with me. I couldn't appreciate it like a true symphony-goer would. I do remember the enthusiastic middle-aged fellow who was sitting behind me. Right as the last piece before intermission was ending, the man burst out in applause. It was like he'd been holding in his excitement and praise for most of the song or even most of the first half. "BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!" *clap clap clap* Then he looked over at his wife and said to her: "It was like the man was speaking to the piano! And the piano was speaking back to the man!" Wow, I totally did not see it that way, but I thought it was interesting what he said. I repeated those same lines to one of my friends while walking back into the lobby and an elderly lady in front of us overheard me. She turned around with a big smile on her face, nodded to me in agreement, and said, "Yes! It really was!" Funny. I really do appreciate what the ASO provides to our city's culture. We are lucky to have them. The directors, conductors, and musicians are all incredibly talented individuals. If you live in Atlanta and have never been to a performance at Atlanta Symphony Hall, you should definitely check one out. Visit their web site and see if they are performing any types of music you might like. In 2012, they performed music from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, composed by Hans Zimmer. If anything, going to the symphony is a good excuse to dress up for a night out. The ASO performs at Atlanta Symphony Hall which is inside the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown. The Woodruff Arts Center campus also includes the Alliance Theatre and the High Museum of Art.

Atlanta really is lucky to have such a talented organization in the community. In case you didn't know, the ASO has 26 Grammy's to its name, and one is prominently featured at the doors to symphony hall. They perform nearly every weekend at some venue or another, mostly at the Woodruff Arts Center. They seem to have a performance for anyone and everyone who loves music - from classical and prestigious to modern and popish - and at least one world premiere piece/event a year. We've really enjoyed the performances by Andre Watts and Itzhak Perlman, not to mention those featuring Rhapsody in Blue and La Boheme. Also, the holiday performance with the Morehouse Men's Chorus gave me a great dose of Christmas Spirit. Going to the symphony is a treat for Jimmy and myself, so we like to dress up. But we've seen plenty of folks in all sorts of attire, from jeans to tuxes, so it really is open to anyone and everyone. There's a wide range of prices available, and all the seats are good due to the very open, yet intimate feeling of the space. The seats are pretty comfortable, and I've been known to nod off on more than one occasion. Some say it's an expensive nap, but it's just so relaxing with the beautiful music and low lighting - it's the best sleep that I get some months! At least Jimmy's never had to wake me up for snoring... Also, Donald Runnicles - the not-primary conductor (not sure what his title is, but he only does 1 or 2 series a month, as opposed to Robert Spano) - does a great job of explaining the pieces during the show, which I've always appreciated since I don't know all that much about most classical music, despite 12 years of piano lessons. Treat yourself to a night on the town at the ASO!

Even though I love classical music, I feel ashamed to say I never really seen the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra that much. I saw them play Final Fantasy, and that's it. But I'm sorry to say that I missed the entire Yoel Levi era. I finally got a chance to see a "real" concert where people dressed nice and wasn't filled with video game nerds. Instead people were dressed nice, didn't smell too bad, and they seemed to appreciate classical music. Despite all the budget problems ASO has been having, they sure put on a great performance. I was there when they had Vadim Gluzman playing the violin. And Vadim gave an amazing performance. Also, I snagged second row tickets, and being so close to the orchestra and Vadim enhanced the experience. ASO is not some 2-bit orchestra, even if they do play stuff from 8 and 16 bit games on occasion. They have gotten world-class soloists like Issac Stern, Itzak Pearlman, Yo Yo Ma, and others. Not only that, the tickets seem cheap compared to others. They usually play in the Woodruff Arts Center. It is a great venue for the orchestra since it has great acoustics and you can see the orchestra well from most locations. But they have played at other venues as well. ASO is pretty awesome. Go support them.

I saw the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour here and was pleasantly surprised. I did not buy the most expensive seats and I am so happy that I did not. I do not think that you could see the massive stage if you are sitting in an ORCH seat. I was in the dress circle on the 1st balcony. The seats right in front of me were $10 more, but no one was on front of me so I had a perfect view of the stage. Bathrooms are small, but ok. I LOVE that the staff was telling people to put down their phones, IPads, Tablets, etc. This is live and people tried to ruin the experience for themselves and others.

The Atlanta Symphony is world class. They are always playing new selections about every week with featured performers and different selection of composers. This is a great place for a date. You can usually get tickets the same day as the performances. With a student ID, you can get same day tickets for 15 dollars!!! They also have special programs going on during different seasons. Check the website for the newest selections and schedules of events. I am planning to attend the Summer Series "Sound of Music" on July 27/28 for the sing along to the Rogers and Hammersteins musical scores conducted by Robert Spano. "These are a few of my favorite things..."!

This place could use a slight remodel. When you enter, things are elegant looking, but the orchestra hall was a tad small and slightly weathered down. Perhaps a new paint job or seating upgrades? Regardless of its quaintness, the music was divine. My friend often frequents this place as he says there are oftentimes good musicians playing. I've visited twice, and I guess depending on the pieces they play, the mood can be light and cheerful or somewhat darker and/or sad. The seating arrangement could have been more efficient. My friend and I had to choose the balcony seating since we arrived late, and I have to tell you, it's not really meant for short people. I had to lean towards the end of my seat to actually see below at the stage. Not a major deal, but then you have a concrete slab right in front that's protruding, this doesn't help short people in any way. Back to the orchestra... lol. Tickets are $12 if you show them your student ID. A very good steal btw. The event lasts about 2 hrs with a 15 or 20 minutes intermission. This is the perfect time to snag a picture of the musician or grab an autograph. I admit I was a tad excited after getting my ticket signed--even though I'm not very familiar with this classical world. Oooh. I am not quite sure, but I am sure there are CDs to be sold during the intermission as well. There's also drink tables stationed throughout the area, but I've never really visited them. Lastly, there are plenty of open parking spaces where you pay at a designated booth. There's no need to park at the designated deck they recommend that's closer to the building and pay more. My friend has his usual parking area that's $6.

Atlanta is truly fortunate to have such an accomplished symphony given the city's relatively short history of supporting the fine arts. The symphony performs more than 200 concerts each year, ranging from concerts in Piedmont Park to their holiday shows in December. The symphony is very involved in the community and in reaching out to young musicians and schools. Current Maestro Robert Spano is recognized nationally as one of the best in the field. The ASO has won numerous Grammy awards and Spano continues to push the envelope with the ASO's concert selections. If you haven't been to an ASO performance, you are missing out. The ASO is hoping to build a new Symphony Center on 14th street next to the Woodruff Arts Center campus. The proposed new Symphony Center is an amazing design by Santiago Calatrava. It has the potential to be a true signature building for the city and give Atlanta more credibility as a fine arts supporter. All that is contingent on raising truly massive amounts of money to get the place built. The estimated price tag is $350 million. Compare that to Nashville's new center for around $100 million and you can see why some are balking at the price tag.

Wonderful venue and performance. -Clean, Pretty venue -"1280" Restaurant aside venue. "Rose & Rye" Restaurant across the street. -Several bars available to purchase a basic drink/snack during intermission. They will flash the overhead lights three times during intermission. The first begins the 15min countdown in 5 min increments. -Multiple parking garages around. Recommend reserving & paying for parking garage in advance and arrive early. -I prefer sitting in the lower level after experiencing both. I've sat in the balcony a couple of times and always seem to have more s distractions up there. Ticket prices obviously vary. They also offer subscription packages which I've elected in the past. -This visit was for "The Latin Lover" performance which was fantastic. -My only complaint about ASO is the excessive phone calls I receive to buy tickets each season. It seems to be the same gentleman that tends to call and he even gets a little attitude/pushy. So much so that I saved the number as ASO Do Not Answer. :-)

Fantastic ensemble. Maestro Robert Spano is a genius as a conductor and the Atlanta Symphony is truly one of the best orchestras out there! Go see/hear them!!

We went for the Disney's Broadway Hits With The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and couldn't have been more pleased with the show, the orchestra, and the theater. The orchestra was magnificent and played perfectly to the tone of the songs and singers. The theater is great. It's set up in a way where most seats will get a great view. And for this particular show the singers were wonderful. They were actual Broadway caliber performers with Josh Strickland (original Tarzan on Broadway) blowing the audience away.

Beautiful space that spotlights top notch talent. A friend from out of town was visiting and we decided to see Aida when it was at the ASO. It was one of the highlights of 2014. The singers were exceptional and the orchestra effectively transported us to ancient Egypt. Overall, it was an incredible experience.

So, I am a symphony newbie, and I'm easing myself in by attending ASO's Performance on the Promenade concerts. Every summer, ASO puts on a few concerts in Piedmont Park. They are free events, but you have to register for tickets and there are only a certain number available. This year I went to two and had a wonderful time. They play crowd-pleasing pieces. It's a wonderful evening that starts under the sun and ends under the stars. Most people bring snacks (some people bring super fancy foodstuffs like smoked salmon, pesto, etc.!) but they also have a food truck there and beer/wine for purchase. Pro-tip: get there early (~6:30) to get a good seat!

Always stellar! Can't wait to hear the WORLD PREMIERE of Christopher Theofanidis' CREATION/CREATOR this Thursday and Saturday, April 23 & 25! Atlanta magazine is offering a $37 ticket deal which includes a $20 dinner gift card for Saturday night! http://www.atlmagconcierge.com/Dinner-Show-Christopher-Theofanidis-p/aso-theof2.htm

If you ask me how many rock concerts I've been to in my life, I would count them out on my hands and have lots of fingers left over. If you asked the same about classical music concerts, I would run out of both fingers and toes. I love classical music. I love the ASO. I love watching the ASO perform classical music. Catching a performance is actually pretty affordable. You can buy tickets for a single concert or check out a season subscription. My go-to is the "pick your own" subscription series, where you pick at least four concerts for the upcoming season for a set price. Depending on how early you book, you'll have the same seats for all your concerts (and if not, they'll all be in the same section and they'll do their best to honor preferences like row letter and left, center, or right). My series selections comprise concerts that include top favorite compositions that I never get tired of experiencing live, pieces I love but haven't experienced live, and soloists I love. Fun fact: the playbills will tell you when a piece was first performed by the ASO, as well as the most recent time. A typical outing for me consists of parking at the Boys & Girls Club garage (if heading north on Peachtree, turn right at the stop light after the 15th St light). Please note: The ASO website lists parking here at $10 but that info is out of date and the price is now $15. MARTA is a great option - the Arts Center station is right behind the Woodruff Arts Center complex. I like to get there 30 minutes early so I can enjoy a pre-concert beverage. Some concession stations have a full(ish) bar while some only have beer and wine. The chimes signal at 15 minutes and five minutes prior to start time. Chug the last of your beer and head inside at this time! The ushers are super friendly and eager to help you find your seat if you require assistance. Once in my seat, I thumb through my playbill while the orchestra tunes. Then the conductor comes out. Now an incredible musical journal begins! I am glad the ASO seems to be much more financially stable after the lockout a couple of years back. I sincerely hope we never have such a situation again. Please, everyone, I implore you to support your local arts and culture! We have a fantastic, Grammy award-winning orchestra that deserves our patronage!

I attended for a church service on Easter Sunday. The building is building. The acoustics are superb.

I was once nominated for a Grammy. Two of them, actually. Well, sort of. In high school, I sang with a youth chorus that performed with the ASO and ASOC during their recording of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" in 2002, and that recording received two Grammy nominations. Cool story about my choir nerd background aside, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is quite simply awesome. We are so fortunate to have such a talented and world-renowned group right here in our city. The ASO has brought so many talented composers and conductors to support the work of the orchestra, and they have truly put Atlanta on the music map. Robert Shaw must have been a hard act to follow, but I can't imagine the caliber of the ensemble being any stronger than it is today. Each time I go to an ASO concert, I resolve to attend more of them, as I've never left without being completely blown away, floating on a feeling of musical euphoria. Combine the Orchestra's talent with the equally impressive chorus, and I've been known to tear up during a performance. Yes, I am that girl. I also appreciate the ASO's outreach to people beyond the typical symphony audience, whether by incorporating children's choirs and the Morehouse Glee Club into their concerts, sponsoring the highly competitive Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, providing low cost "family" concerts, performing in Alpharetta at the Verizon amphitheater, or their embrace of new media and group buying sites. Yes, the ASO really is "as good as it gets!"

What a great experience, one I will always remember. Everyone on staff there was absolutely polite and professional. The symphony sounded amazing. A Lifetime memory, thumbs up.

This past weekend was my second time at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and it blew me away. Although my boyfriend's lived in Atlanta longer than I have, he'd never been to the symphony, so I took it upon myself to get him 'cultured' sooner rather than later. The next obstacle was to figure out what to see at ASO, so after hopping online, we discovered that the conductor and symphony would be performing Final Fantasy: Distant Worlds (yes, that Final Fantasy, the video game currently on its 13th iteration and going strong) in June and it was on! Both of us are video game fans (and I'm a huge FF fan), so it was the perfect thing to introduce him to ASO with a radically different departure from the normal fare performed there (which is also excellent too, don't get me wrong). We bought tickets in the first balcony level right towards the center, and got psyched to get our culture on. The night of the concert, we arrived and walked in, tickets in hand and looking pretty spiffy (it is the symphony after all, and still a place you dress up to go to), and saw tons of people who looked like they'd walked in right off the street. Including a good number who were in cosplay. Apparently this was going to be quite a different symphony experience from my first one... I was a little put off that so many people looked so casual, but that's what the world is coming to, I guess. The people who did bother to wear more than flip flops, shorts, and t-shirts got points in my book though. We took our seats, and had a perfect view of the stage and a giant screen they'd lowered for the performance. The conductor, who was a very charismatic man, came out and introduced himself, reeled off the spiel of how long the FInal Fantasy music has been performing, how many different compositions there are now, etc. etc. And then the magic began. Not only did I recognize many of the tunes as well as hearing new ones, but they took it one step further and used the giant screen to play shots of video and game play matching whatever song was being performed on stage. It was great!! It brought back so many good memories I had of playing these games growing up, and it was delightful to watch set to such beautiful live music. The 2.5 hours flew by in the blink of an eye, and, as before, I was left feeling uplifted by the end. It was such a great show, and although I didn't agree with others' choices to come so casually dressed, the people watching was great. I'm sure it's a different crowd than ASO usually sees, but boy they were an enthusiastic bunch. Certain songs were cheered (especially when chocobos or Sephiroth were on screen), and the symphony and conductor received two standing ovations and thunderous applause at the end. That was great. I had wonderful time at the symphony and I really hope it continues to bring such unusual, fantastically talented performances in the future.

We love the ASO! From their family concerts to their classical series...what a treasure to Atlanta! Be sure to check out the summer concerts at Piedmont Park.

Atlanta, you have an impressive symphony orchestra! I didn't get what made a great symphony until I heard you perform. You all work in unison to create a full and rich sound. The venue itself has great acoustics. I was sitting at the very last row at the back wall, but the music came through clear and surrounded me as if I was sitting at the very front. We were there to see the Final Fantasy concert, and it was great seeing the visuals link up to the music (and even cooler to see Nobuo Uematsu himself sing in the choir). All-in-all a great experience, but make sure to get there at least 30 min early so you can find the place and then find parking. Parking is extremely hard to find unless you have a compact car.

I attended a concert here on Saturday and am appalled at the lack of professionalism of the venue staff and security. The appearance of the theatre is boring but okay, the acoustics mediocre. I feel the venue security need to be re-trained immediately. I was treated horribly, spoken to as if I was a child, and when I stood slightly in front of my pit seat, which I paid $120 for, I was told that I would be escorted from the premises and that 'the police were being called'. Seriously? I was not standing in anyone's way or blocking the aisle. No one was bothered, except the security guards, who felt the need to flex their tiny bit of power and pester me for half of the show (grabbing my arm, threatening me, etc). About halfway through, I think they realized how absurd their behavior was, that there was no actual situation at hand, and gave up and let me enjoy the show. What I was forced to endure is ridiculous, and I hope that no one else has this experience.

It is always a pleasure to go to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra! The programs are always fantastic and never fail to impress me. The symphony hall is gorgeous and clean. It is conveniently located in a nice area of town with easy access to several nearby restaurants.

Who would have thought I would be such a regular patron of the Atlanta symphony?!? Since my first review, I have frequented many a symphony concert, including several with special guest stars both at the Woodruff and at Chastain (Idina Menzel, Patti Lupone). So far, my favorite performances have been those concerts, and the Super Pops events, that usually have a visual reference, with singers, actors or movie screen to enhance the wonderful music. I've actually been quite emotional at the beauty of some of the music...the first violin and first cello in particular...hearing the violin in Scheherazade (which represents the captive Scheherazade winning over the sultan) was a thing of beauty. I have found that the best seats to hear a concert are further back in the orchestra area. You get to take in the full scope of the stage and the musicians, and the acoustics are more favorable. Atlanta is very lucky to have such talented musicians and conductors (both classical and pops) in the city. It's also pretty affordable, especially if you compare to what a symphony ticket in other cities cost. One HUGE deterrent to being a symphony regular is the constant phone calls asking for donations and the over abundance of mailed brochures. Best thing is to not buy tickets online...just go to the box office window, so they don't get ahold of your phone number or address.

The ASO is a pretty nice little venue, which occasionally hosts other types of shows also (Sigur Ros played here last year I think, and supposedly it was amazing). It's your typical upscale symphony hall, located right next to the High Museum. They tend to keep their play list pretty conventional here: Mozart, Beethoven, all the classics. It would serve them well to expand to more progressive pieces, but it's also nice to hear these classics live and by a very accomplished ensemble. I agree with Stephanie: great place for a date. Plus you're right in line to go so many other Atlanta places within a five minute drive after.

Always a beautiful night out at the symphony. Every year m, from Rachmaninov to Mahler, Yo Yo Ma to Joshua Bell, holiday concerts to summer at Verizon, the ASo never hits a wrong note.

The space is great - good view, good acoustics, good lighting. But lord help you if you get on their calling list, because it will takes years to drop off. Student tickets are half price, and same day tickets used to be as well. If you are on their email list, keep an eye out for the free ticket offer that happens about once a year.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra venue offers a spacious area for its guests to comfortably relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of an authentic live symphony. The scene here is not really my cup of tea, due to the fact that I would most likely fall asleep during any performance; however, anyone who is even remotely interested in a large group of musicians playing a wide variety of instruments like the violin, cellos etc. would love the experience at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The extravagant interior will make some individuals feel like they are part of the upper class society that hangs out here often, but will also make other individuals feel out of place like they are they only normal person among a large group of snobs. I noticed a lot of grammar school kids come here also for their school field trip. Personally, if my teacher would have given me a field trip permission form to take to my parents when I was in elementary school, I most likely would have thrown it away and stayed home that day.