We get asked this a lot, and most people will tell you that there really is no bad seat in the house. That said, the two best locations are in the center, not too close to the front as that helps the sound blend a little better by the time it hits your ears (plus you can see more of the players when you’re not right up by the stage), and at the front of the balcony (also called the loge), so that you have better sight lines to see the entire orchestra from more of an aerial perspective. It's all according to your preference!

Regular ticket prices start at $45 for Level 2 seats, up to $49 for Level 1. There are a few other helpful tips you should know as well:

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The best way save is to buy a subscription package (season tickets). Pick any 4, 5, or 6 concerts in the season to save 10% off regular ticket prices when you get a subscription. 

If you’re a student on a budget, be sure to bring your student ID and get any seat for $10. 

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. In short, you do you, and we’re just glad you’re joining us.

All concerts except the Christmas concert are on a Saturday and begin 7:00 pm. The Christmas concert is on a Sunday and begins at 3:00 pm. You are also welcome to attend the free, 30-minute pre-concert talk, starting one hour before each show. We recommend allowing plenty of time to park and get to your seat. If you’re late, you’ll be allowed in at a suitable break in the program.

We try to make concerts self-contained, meaning at the performance itself you will learn a little from your program book as well as from the Maestro as they sometimes briefly introduces the pieces from the stage. If you want to study up ahead of time, we have multiple ways to help you do that:

1. The pre-concert talk starts one hour before the performance, is free to concert attendees, and lasts about 30 minutes, so you have a half hour between the talk and concert to get a drink, use the restroom, mingle, etc. During the talk, our music director candidates will cover topics such as why they programmed the particular pieces on that concert, things you should listen for during the performance, and information about the composer. Often, the soloist performing that date will join the talk for all or part, so you get to hear first-hand from the amazing artist you’re going to see later in the evening.

2. Look for links on the concert page on this website, which may include program notes by the candidates, guest artist profiles, articles fleshing out the story behind the music, and clips to preview the music.

3. On each of the concert overview pages on this website, we’ve included each piece’s respective Wikipedia entry.

If you happen to arrive early enough, there will be free parking in the lots surrounding the Mansfield Theater and Civic Center. Occasionally, there are overlaps between events in the Civic Center and our concerts in the Mansfield Theater. On those days parking can be a greater challenge, and we encourage patrons to arrive earlier. If you are planning to go to dinner prior to the concert, or are parking on downtown streets, all parking is free after 5pm.

Wine, beer, sodas, water and small desserts will be available to purchase at the bar in the lobby.