Low Culture

A cut-rate ticket to some world-class music

s it crass to talk about discounts on high culture? Not when you can see the world-renowned Boston Symphony Orchestra at as much as 83 percent off. No, you don’t have to hang out at Symphony Hall looking for sketchy-looking characters with their collars up mumbling, “Hey, need tickets?” You just have to be under 40. The BSO’s “20 under 40” deal makes seats available for 20 bucks for younger (by symphony standards) patrons—seats that usually go for from $29 to as much as $115. There’s a limit of two tickets per customer (hey, this will really impress your date) and 50 seats per concert, and they’re only good for these shows. Still, even with the fine print, it’s a deal that should be music to your ears. Marcus

Shhhh! The Boston Symphony Orchestra
originally performed at the Boston Music Hall, now
the Orpheum Theatre. After the orchestra left in 1900, the hall was used for vaudeville.

Shhhh! BSO directors could agree on only
one musician whose name should be inscribed in Symphony Hall: Beethoven.

Shhhh! So acoustically perfect is Symphony Hall that when the floor was replaced, in 2006, the new floor was built using the same tongue-in-groove, three-quarter-inch, hard maple boards over wool, hammered into place by hand using hand-cut nails.

Shhh who knew

College students can buy a Boston Symphony Orchestra College Card for $25 per season, good for up to 16 concerts on these dates. Tickets are available on the day of the show, and while they’re distributed first come, first served, here’s another secret: You can give the BSO your cell-phone number and have updates texted to you about availability.