““Santa Cruz can expect world class performances, a vast orchestral repertoire, and transformative musical experiences. Santa Cruz Symphony performances go beyond entertainment to create an experience of music that is compelling and accessible.”
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WELCOME!
If you're reading this page, hopefully you're thinking of joining us soon for a concert. We'd love that! We care a LOT about growing our audience and making sure people who are newer to classical music and/or orchestra concerts have a great experience so ultimately you come back again.
Have a question that's not answered here? Send us an email at office@santacruzsymphony.org, and we might even add the question to this list.
FREQUENTLY ASkED QUESTIONS
Where do you perform, exactly?
How do I get a drink at the concert?
How can I study up before I go?
Where do you perform, exactly?
Santa Cruz Symphony is based in Santa Cruz County and we perform throughout the year at both the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium (affectionately called the Civic) and the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts at the Watsonville High School (referred to as the Mello). We also perform recitals at the Samper Recital Hall at Cabrillo College.
What's a good seat?
We get asked this a lot. Some people like to sit close to the orchestra to really get a sense of what the musicians are doing, whereas others like the balcony so they can see the whole orchestra.
At the Civic, the front few rows are the best if you like to get an up-close personal view, but most people prefer the center sections F, G & H. The higher you are, the more you can see, and the sound blends well up there too. However, some people like to sit on the sides to watch the conductor's face as he's leading the orchestra.
At the Mello, the best seats are probably halfway back on the floor, and the mid-section of the balcony. All the seats are comfortable at the Mello, and there are definitely fewer stairs at the Mello as compared to the Civic.
The Mello is more intimate (about 800 seats) whereas the Civic often has a more energetic feeling with its close to 1300 seats.
Lastly, if there is a piano soloist performing, people like to sit more towards the left side of the house so they can see the pianist's hands as they perform.
What priceS CAN I EXPECT TO PAY?
Prices range from $45 to $130 for single tickets. Student Rush tickets (purchased in the 90 minutes before the concert) are $15.
There are a few other helpful tips you should know as well:
The best deal comes when you don't wait until the very last minute to order tickets. Most of our concerts are at or near capacity, so whenever you see a concert you'd like to attend, you save by not waiting (and of course you have better seats to choose from as well).
Another way to save is to buy in bulk. This can be either in the form of season tickets, where you can purchase tickets for up to 15% off the single ticket prices, or in the form of group tickets for 10+ tickets, where you save 20%.
What do I wear?!
More than anything, we want you to be comfortable when you join us for a concert, so dress in a way that works for you. Some people love dressing up and going out — if that's you, do it and you won't be the only one, we promise. If you prefer to be more casual, then you probably won't be the only one dressed casually, either. What you won't see a lot of is black tie — except on the stage. We are Santa Cruz County, after all, so come in your favorite clothes and you'll fit right in. In short, you do you, and we're just glad you're joining us.
How do I get a drink at the concert?
At the Civic: Wine and other drinks are available for purchase at the Civic in the lobby. Concessions at the Civic are now ‘no cash’ but they accept debit, major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. For the Spring Pops concert (our last concert of the season), we hold a street party with food and drinks, including wine & beer, so you have a chance to eat and drink before the concert while listening to some fabulous music outside.
At the Mello: Because the Mello is at a high school, we are only able to sell non-alcoholic drinks and snacks there.
How can I study up before I go?
We try to make concerts self-containing, meaning you will learn a lot at the performance itself by reading the program notes in the season program guide. Additionally, sometimes the Maestro briefly introduces the pieces from the stage.
If you want to study up ahead of time, we have several ways to help you do that:
Attend the pre-concert talk. The pre-concert talks happen one hour before the performance starts and are free to concert attendees. These talks last about 30 minutes, so you have a half hour between the talk and concert to get a drink, use the restroom, mingle, etc. The talks are given by Don Adkins, a music professor at Cabrillo College (he also happens to be the person who writes our program notes), or Kiefer Taylor, a well-respected local music teacher and accompanist. During the talks, the presenter covers topics such as what you should listen for during the performance, the historical context in which the piece was written, and information about the composer.
Attend the Santa Cruz Symphony League’s concert preview on the Friday before the concert. The Santa Cruz Symphony League has a long tradition of hosting a preview program for its members and season subscribers. This is a great opportunity to hear the engaging Maestro Stewart discuss the pieces that he will conduct and his insight and deep understanding of each piece. Danny also brings the soloists, who may sing, play instruments, or discuss the music. They provide a whole bonus round of musical fun! For more information, contact the League at SantaCruzSymphonyLeague.org
How long is a concert?
Concerts vary in length depending on how long each piece is in the program, but usually range from about 100–120 minutes. A traditional program starts with an Overture followed by a soloist playing a Concerto, then a Symphony of three to four movements.
However, Maestro Stewart likes to mix it up a bit. Sometimes there is only one piece on the first half. Sometimes there are two on both halves. And sometimes one piece will fill up the whole concert without an intermission. (Don't worry, we'll let you know if there's no intermission so you can be sure to go to the bathroom first!) We find that keeping our audiences on their toes is a good way to keep people awake and interested in what's going on.
When do I applaud?
This can be a controversial question! Here's why: In the early days of classical music the audience was rather rowdy — clapping, talking and even shouting during the performance. Then, at some point during the 20th century, this changed, and the social norm became to applaud only at the end of the piece and never between movements (in other words, clap at the end of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and stay silent during the breaks between movements 1 & 2, 2 & 3 and 3 & 4).
The trouble with this is, for people who don't know this unwritten rule about when to applaud, at every concert someone inevitably claps after the first movement and then feels weird because they're the only one, or one of a few who somehow missed this secret memo. It's awkward for the audience and not true to the origins of classical music.
So our policy is, when you have an emotional reaction to the music that you want to express, do it! If you love a movement of fill-in-the-blank symphony and want to cheer for the performance you just heard, do it! Note: not every orchestra feels this way, so don't take this policy as the rule of thumb everywhere. At the Santa Cruz Symphony though, if you're enjoying what you're hearing, we'd love nothing more than for you to show it.
What about my phone?
General phone use at the concert: We understand that phones are how people connect and share what they're experiencing. What we don't like are phones ringing or making other noises during the performance, or when your phone is blowing up so it practically looks like a strobe light — just like people don't like those things at the movie theater. What we do like is people having fun and sharing that experience with others, so please avoid using your phone as much as possible during the performance itself. We ask you to make sure your phone is on silent out of consideration for the performers.
Filming and taking photos at the concert: The taking of videos and photos prior to the concert, during intermission, and after the concert are encouraged and not restricted. We invite you to share photos and videos with your friends. During the performance, however, videos are limited to 30 seconds only. Always be mindful of your neighbors when you are using your phone for videos and for photos. And, of course, no flash photos are allowed during the concert.
What’s the difference between a concert and a recital?
A concert is with the full orchestra, often with a soloist who performs with the orchestra. The size of the orchestra can range between 25 to 100 players, depending on the instruments required by the composer. These concerts are held at the Civic Auditorium and the Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville.
A recital (often referred to as an event in our “Musician Series”) involves a smaller group of players, generally one to ten, performing solo and chamber music. Recitals we’ve had in the past include piano solo, harp solo, brass quintet (five players), and string quartet (four players) or octet (eight players). Recitals are usually held at Cabrillo College’s Samper Recital Hall.
What else should I expect?
People watching! And awe! Not necessarily at the same time, although that's not out of the question. As we talk with new attendees, we hear time and again that some really love seeing other people of different ages (younger and older) enjoy the concert in their own ways, and that they didn’t realize that element (i.e. people watching) was going to be such a part of the experience. The other thing we hear often is that seeing a live orchestra — whether producing a giant wall of sound or playing such difficult, technical passages all in sync — is often unexpectedly awe-inspiring. There is something about the live experience that just can't be beat, people say, and that's music to our ears.
Have a question for us we didn't answer? Let us know! We're on Facebook, Instagram, email and, yes, phones. We'd love to hear from you!