Orchestra Noir Tickets

As a new resident of the Atlanta metro area it is my absolute pleasure to take part of new experiences and events such as this one. This event featuring Orchestra Noir first caught my eye a few months ago, as I browsed through Groupon looking for things to do in my new-found area. It was illustrated to be a company of all African American musicians. This fact alone was appealing to me but they also came with intriguing accolated. One thing that struck me when reading their biography online, was the fact that they take some of the proceeds they receive from all their concert venues to help eradicate homelessness in the city of Atlanta. Anyone who knows me, knows that is a subject near and dear to my heart. Needless to say, I was very impressed and I had my mind made up that I would attend this black-tie event they were putting on in the spring. Purchasing the tickets was convenient and easy, I had the option of getting my ticket on Groupon but chose not to due to their limited seating options. Ticketmaster made my purchase seamless, based on the seats chosen average tickets ranged from 39.99-79.99. The event was held at the Center Stage Theater in downtown Atlanta. They scheduled a red-carpet soiree to begin at 7p.m. and the concert was advertised to begin at 8p.m. My guest and I were thrilled when we arrived to see so many people following the black-tie dress code as we had taken our time to find the appropriate attire. Parking was a little hectic because the venue did not have enough parking in their garage and there weren’t clear instructions or suggestions of alternative parking. I eventually made the decision to park a street over in a public sidewalk parking space, giving us time to walk the short distance to the event. Upon entering the venue’s doors, we were greeted by security and then an usher scanned our digitally provided tickets (this was fortunate because I absent-mindedly left the paper copies at home). Walking up the stairs into the soiree we were swept away by the elegance in the room. There were two fully stocked bars and a long line leading to the red-carpet photo opt. By the time, we took a few photos on our own and stopped by the ladies’ room it was about 7:45p.m. So, we made the decision to make our way to our seats which were located to the right of the stage. The orchestra had begun assembling on the theater’s floor making them a lot closer than I had anticipated. The tickets were well worth the price I paid. Unfortunately, the concert did not begin promptly at 8p.m. and even once it began the auditorium was only half full, leaving most of the patrons in the lobby attempting to get their red-carpet pictures. Jason Ikeem Rodgers was absolutely phenomenal as he conducted the orchestra through the first set. They played several numbers before bringing on a soloist by the name of Yezu Woo who was the silver medalist in Orchestra Noir’s 2016 Collegiate Virtuoso Concerto Competition. Not only did she play alongside the orchestra, Rodgers graciously let her have the stage and she played an impromptu solo as well. One of the most memorable parts of the show was when the Students from the Atlanta Music Project joined the professionals to play Grand March from “Tannhauser” to close the first half of the show. These students ranged from the first grade and up, they played in all parts of the orchestra. Program director Ronnal Ford shared that these students spend a dedicated 4 hours at least twice a week (if I recall correctly) practicing music. This was such a remarkable part of the show. After intermission, we were introduced to music producer Bryan Michael Cox for a segment of the show called DJ versus Orchestra. The atmosphere shifted and they battled by both playing classic hits in R&B, Pop and Hip Hop favorites. The one major area of opportunity I could see for the show in general would have been the red-carpet event. Instead of having a small section setup for photos an attempt should have been made to have a long red-carpet outside with camera men positioned along the way. This would have improved the start time of the show which was delayed about 15-20 minutes and the tardiness of the audience’s entrance. It was a huge disruption throughout the first half of the show as ticket holders made their way to their seats as the orchestra played. That may have been my biggest concern but all in all the show was a huge success. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, the time spend at the symphony was greatly appreciated and I look forward to future events held by Orchestra Noir.

This was the most fun! The first half of beautiful classical music and the second half of current day hip hop and pop music!! A DJ, a dance floor, allowing local kids to perform with the orchestra EVERYTHING WAS JUST GREAT!!!! Will definitely do it again!