San Diego Symphony

Since when did it become okay for soloists to perform with a score in front of them??? Came to hear Mozart’s 3 piano concerto and one of the featured pianists was replaced. Okay fine, I can deal with that. But the two who were scheduled to perform brought their music out onstage. Who does that??? We tolerated the first half but left after the first performance after intermission when the piano duets also were performed with music. Professional musicians don’t do that!!! I didn’t pay to listen to some amateurs sight-​read a score. If it isn’t memorized, it isn’t in you, and you haven’t figured out what you want the piece to say. What a disappointment!!! That’s probably why the third featured pianist, Horacio Gutierrez, wouldn’t perform tonight.

I came here some years ago for a piano concert. It wasn’t what we anticipated but we appreciated the venue nonetheless. The seats remind me of a grand movie theater with each seat having a decent view of the stage. The crowd was a bit different the first time we were here though. The lady next to us got irate when we didn’t stand up to give a standing ovation like she did during one concerto. Sorry lady but not everyone has to agree with you on which piece warrants a standing ovation. That’s the thing about music: to each his own right.
I was surprised over the weekend with tickets to the ALL ABOUT THE PIANO: RHAPSODY IN BLUE: A Jacobs Masterworks Concert. We were a few minutes late but the nice ushers were helpful and kind. They now have an overhead tv, above the stage, that shows the pianist playing the keys. That helped tremendously and make me smile how much I miss playing the beloved piano. The crowd seemed immersed in the music and the stranger next to me struck up a lively conversation with me and friend during intermission. It was truly a fun night.
The reception and front street get busy after the symphony. Valets are trying to retrieve cars, people are trying to find their designated über drivers, patrons are trying to cross the street to get to the parking lots. It’s chaos but it’s manageable.

I came here to watch the symphony play the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack on Halloween. It was a concert that played the movie on three large movie screens. As many times as I have watched NBC and listened to it soundtrack countless times, I never realized just how in depth and long the musical score was. The San Diego Symphony never disappoints. We are very blessed to have a very talented symphony. The conductor never missed a beat, and it was a really neat experience to see the movie play along with it. Our seats were more to the left side, we were able to see the movie on the side screen and also see the symphony play with a little difficulty. I would say to call in and ask for the best center seats. There were beverages and food being sold. Also they sold t-​shirts that have Nightmare Before Christmas, I didn’t buy one because my bust is too big, for the sizes they sold for women. The bathrooms were spacious and clean. The ushers were nice and informative. We will be coming back for Ben Folds and Jason Alexander appearance. They also have some great concerts coming up check out their website.

Went to the Holiday Pops last night. What a wonderful, enchanted evening with the great San Diego Symphony Orchestra, both the San Diego Master Choral and the San Diego Children’s Chorus all in a Christmas mood Then top that with the jaw-​dropping acrobatics of the Cirque de Musique and you have an evening to remember.

We went to the Moscow Russian nutcracker ballet tonight, and it was amazing. It was the first time I had seen the nutcracker. The dancers were incredible

Halloween 2015 came with a special treat from the San Diego Symphony: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas!
As a former band geek (from my high school days), I have a deep appreciation for live music, especially for performances by musicians at the pinnacle of their craft. The symphony is a magical experience for this and many other reasons. If you haven’t been, I cannot recommend enough that you need to go and experience the symphony at least once.
Get dressed up, take your loved ones out for a nice meal, and enjoy every moment as you walk into that breath-​taking concert hall.
I won’t bore you with all my reminiscent musings on the experience, but definitely look at their concert calendar. I guarantee you’ll find something that will piqué your interest.

I came here to watch SD Symphony’s performance of Carmina Burana and loved every minute of it. Paying $ 20 for balcony seats at Copley Symphony Hall was a cheap way of enjoying the talents of this local orchestra and master chorale. The balcony seats were considerably more comfortable than I expected, and I didn’t really need to see the performers (but that’s my preference), so I didn’t mind sitting way in the back!
Totes coming back for future performances that spike my interest.

Outstanding venue in a city environment. Came here last week for the London Symphony Orchestra’s performance. I had not been to this venue yet and was very pleasantly surprised at how they could logistically fit such an architecturally charming music hall inside of a downtown building! Upon arriving, we walked in and our tickets were checked… we walked to our seats and it seemed like at each turn there was a person waiting to assist us. Very helpful staff! There really isn’t a bad seat in the house. The hall is perfect for orchestra performances. We were left wanting more! Only complaints were the lobby areas are small and got very crowded at intermission (but what venue doesn’t) and the parking can be difficult (come 30 mins early atleast and expect to wait 30 mins when leaving). Other than that, outstanding venue!

I love the SD Symphony. They are pretty much always spot on. I’ve never been to a ‘bad’ performance. Sometimes the interpretations of pieces aren’t my favorite, but that’s been based on a guest conductor. The instumentalists are the best, bar none.
This year has been a challenge, with many of their special events facing last minute substitutions (Hillary Hahn, John Williams, etc.) and with Jahja Ling leaving I’m a little concerned about next year. Hopefully they will find a replacement soon. With concertmaster Jeff Thayer also out, I’m worried about a lack of direction.
I highly recommend getting there 45 minutes early so that you can enjoy Nuvi Mehta’s pre-​concert lecture. His style is wonderfully classic. It’s like listening to an old school PBS commentator.

Seeing as I live right across the street you think I would have gone here before now. The Symphony does a good job there is no doubt about that.
The wife and I saw «A Tribute to John Williams» here and it was great. They actually played 3 encores. Am looking forward to going back again for another performance.

«Nathan Pacheco was a Valentines Night Treat !
My wife and I when to see Nathan Pacheco last night on Valentines day at the San DIego Symphony, located in the Copley Symphony Hall in Downtown San Diego. The Symphony Hall has beautiful architecture and the acoustics are fantastic to listen to an opera singer like Nathan with a great strong voice. Nathan was magnificent ! His singing of «Nessun Dorma, Avatar, Hallelujah, Caruso and more were so dramatic and spine tingling. Everyone in the audience is glued to Nathan’s every Note he sings ! Nathan’s band including his director Louie are fantastic. Nathan Pacheco has a great voice and wonderful stage interaction with the audience. His career is just starting and he is already a Super Star !

The San Diego Symphony and Orchestra is top notch. What a really great collection of versatile and talented musicians. I’ve seen them perform many classical composers works as well as contemporary music — Earth Wind & Fire, The Beatles, Sheena Easton, Toni Braxton, etc. This organization is always impressive. The symphony usually performs at Copley Hall /​Jacobs Center but it’s also fun to catch them performing outdoors during the Summer Pops season.

When the first note landed upon my ear drums, an instant image or hope shall I say entered in my mind for the children and grown-​ups of America today…
An image of X-​boxes, p3 whatever stations… ALL VIDEO games and other time/​brain wasters all collectively gathered in cardboard boxes, thrown into a recycling bin… and imagine this… children or adults doing something productive with their lives… ahhh the splendor of cultivating a craft…
(ehh forget it, this is America, where drive-​thru McDonalds, Walmarts and glassy eyed stare boxes rule)…
Truly inspired by the faces behind the instruments. Not just listening to the music that played, but understanding and appreciating the amount of time and effort souls invested in their craft or trade to become masters of their instruments.
The San Diego Symphony is a collection of human beings whom full-​filled their artistic dreams, calloused fingers, countless hours, I can only imagine the sacrifices encountered to arrive at this point of having one’s name and photograph hung on the lobby’s wall to be a part of The San Diego Symphony…

The National Acrobats of The People’s Republic of China are performing live on stage. They take acrobats to a different level, literally. The High Chairs is an increasingly difficult feat adding up to 8 chairs! Not for the faint of heights. Looking forward to the little lions performance.

«Cash’d Out: A Tribute to Johnny Cash» was my first Summer Pops concert experience and I loved it! My date and I had bandstand seats, smack center. The stage wasn’t very far and there were large screens on both sides of the stage as well as on top of the stage. I absolutely loved the Embarcadero Marina Park South location. The outdoor venue is right along the water and we could watch the sunset as the music played. It was a gorgeous night for an outdoor concert. Be prepared and bring a jacket because the summer evenings can get a bit chilly in SD. The Cash’d Out tribute band was great! The lead singer sounded very much like Johnny Cash. He got the crowd going and it was fun to sing and clap along with the songs. The crowd was great and we had a lot of fun! I’m looking forward to returning next summer!

What a great thing for San Diego to have. And they do have the best performances here. You will see concerts, musicals, theater, and of course the San Diego Symphony here as well.
I saw the play «Evita» and enjoyed the entire production, which was very well done. A beautiful performance space in a great location and absolutely beautiful inside.

Summer Pops San Diego Symphony by the Sea. It is the best performance ever. The music is the best and the view is the best.
i came here couple of years ago because i have known San Diego symphony Orchestra violinist and he invited me. I used to visit indoors of the hall. so I’ve never expected this venue is gorgeous. Mixing outdoor view, the fresh breeze from the sea, the yacht moving, falling the stars from the sky and mellow music.
At that time Billy Joel performed. The trumpeter is also outstanding. Some people stayed out of entrance with the blanket and food to enjoy the music and no one swatted away anyone who sat out side the entrance with free music. i thought that is the good idea.

When I saw that the San Diego Symphony would be performing the music of Danny Elfman from the films of Tim Burton, I knew my husband and I would need to go. It was during Comic-​Con so we expected craziness and there was of course, but the staff handled everyone beautifully. There was some bottle-​necking getting into the seating area, but it was over in an instant.
This was our first visit to see the symphony so I guess this was the area where they do the Summer Pops concerts, right behind the convention center, on the water with gorgeous views. I’m not sure if I can explain how awesome it was to be listening to music from Beetlejuice while seeing the sun set behind the symphony. Or how breathtaking it was seeing fireworks light up the sky while the symphony played the soundtrack of Edward Scissorhands in front of me. Perfection.
We sat in the grandstand and the views were great. We could see the stage clearly, but also had a nice view of the city scape and the bay. Beer was reasonably priced and there were tons of food options for those interested. Like gourmet food. I was impressed!
Note: Because I’m an idiot, when I was selecting our seats online I accidentally ordered two pairs. One in the grandstand and one in a much more expensive section. I didn’t realize I’d done it until I’d finished the transaction and saw the total on my receipt. I immediately emailed the San Diego Symphony and explained what I’d done. It was after business hours, so I spent the rest of the evening trying to figure out how I was going to sell two fancy seats to a Comic-​Con concert. The next morning, however, I received a lovely email saying they went ahead and refunded the cost of the more expensive tickets and my grandstand tickets were paid for and ready to pick up at will-​call. Easy as that. Thank you so much for making that easy for me!
I had such a lovely overall experience with the San Diego Symphony, from the customer service to the musicians themselves.

It was one of the best time ever! I was not wanting to go at first but my friends dragged me over, at first it was cold and windy, we were well prepared, the show started on time, fireworks was wonderful! People were helpful and we had a grate time, I would definitely go there again!

The symphony is 5-​stars. The timing, the song selection, and the conductor are top notch! I went to see the symphony play with Lang Lang and it was an incredible sold-​out occasion. I was dazzled by the expertise of everyone. Book your tickets often & in advance to get the best seats (lower level is best).