Johannes Brahms was one of music's great geniuses, so writing a symphony should have been a breeze for him, right? But Brahms agonized over the score for 21 years before unveiling his First Symphony. The expectations everyone had of him—that he would re-light Beethoven’s torch and carry it to new heights—had seemed unbearable. But he didn't just succeed: in his First, he achieved glory. Some referred to it as "Beethoven’s Tenth." In fact, Beethoven probably would have been proud to call it his own.

A fun and fresh guide to understanding the music.
With lively discussion and shared musical insights, Sam and Sarah lead audiences through a fun and fresh exploration of the music during the first half of the concert, followed by a full performance of the featured work after intermission. Learn more about Inside the Classics »

Ever since Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers kissed on a 16th-century London stage, composers have tried to shape their story into music—but few did it justice until the Russian Sergei Prokofiev picked it up in the 1930s. He turned the tale into a ballet in which you can see the knives flashing and the sun rising in Juliet's eyes after her night of forbidden love with Romeo, and feel the cold dark of the crypt where the story's riveting ending unfolds. Thought "undanceable" at its premiere, it's now one of the most treasured and often-performed ballets in the world.

A fun and fresh guide to understanding the music.
With lively discussion and shared musical insights, Sam and Sarah lead audiences through a fun and fresh exploration of the music during the first half of the concert, followed by a full performance of the featured work after intermission. Learn more about Inside the Classics »

Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra is the launching pad for getting to know our great Orchestra in a whole new way, in the first Inside the Classics concert in the newly renovated Orchestra Hall. Hold on tight, because we're inviting you on board for a very special version of Britten's classic, narrated in the witty tone of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series (with a nod to author Douglas Adams). This program soars and delves deep into the orchestra, letting you witness all the beautiful, intricate gears and pulleys that allow it to create such wonder for your ears.

A fun and fresh guide to understanding the music.
With lively discussion and shared musical insights, Sam and Sarah lead audiences through a fun and fresh exploration of the music during the first half of the concert, followed by a full performance of the featured work after intermission. Learn more about Inside the Classics »