By Jordan Jackson
Staff Writer

Have you stepped outside of the Simmons campus lately? No matter which direction you choose, a short stroll off campus will quickly land you among a number of world-class cultural institutions here in Boston. One such institution is Symphony Hall, which houses the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

I was fortunate enough to accompany my arts administration class to see the symphony last week. If it wasn’t for this class trip, I might never have realized how much excitement lies inside Symphony Hall.

Everything about this venue is beautiful. In the music hall, there are elegant chandeliers and statues of muses lining the walls.  Their hallways are filled with a great deal of information about the history of the Boston Symphony, as well as past historical performances.

As for the music (the most important part, of course), the performers did an excellent job. They performed Tchaikovsky’s “Hamlet” as well as well as Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring ,” two very renowned and passionate pieces.

They also featured a modern composer, Brett Dean, and his piece “Dramatis Personae.” This was the American premiere for this piece, and it featured the world-famous trumpet player Håkan Hardenberger. Though it was a particularly challenging piece, it was well-received by the audience.

There was a surprisingly large number of young people at the Symphony, which give me hope that they will continue to thrive in years to come.

If you plan on going to the Symphony anytime soon, here’s my recommendation: have an understanding of the music before you attend a performance. As a requirement for my arts administration course, I received a great deal of background information about the musical selections, and I was required to listen to the pieces more than once. Knowing what to expect before you go actually adds to the excitement and makes the performance much more enjoyable.