V.com weekend vote: Do you enjoy indoor or outdoor orchestra concerts better?
Lately I've both played in and attended some outdoor orchestra concerts, and I'm reminded of why I love outdoor concerts, and also their limitations!
On the upside: an outdoor concert tends to be a relaxed social event, an opportunity to enjoy being in an attractive natural setting, have a nice picnic and be with friends. Programming tends to be reasonably light, and it can feel quite nice to stare at the stars or trees, smell the grass, etc. while listening to live music.
Blossom Music Center, south of Cleveland - the first place I ever experienced an outdoor orchestra concert.
Playing an outdoor concert - you know everyone out in the audience is so full of wine, it takes some pressure off! (I'm only partially joking!) I tend to play pops in the summer, and I find those concerts to be a fun adventure every time: the gazillion hand-written charts, the lean rehearsal time, the overall showbiz nature of it.
However, the outdoor atmosphere also can bring unexpected interruptions. For example, last week at the Hollywood Bowl, a flock of three, then four, five, six helicopters started circling noisily, one of them flashing a moving spotlight somewhere in the valley beyond. Was there a car chase on the highway below? Amid the clamor, we stood and sang the National Anthem with the orchestra, then we sat and waited. The helicopters continued circling, and when they finally started flying north, the audience applauded. At last, the featured artist - James Ehnes - could come out. All this was amusing, but disruptive!
At Pasadena Pops concerts, the peacocks who live at the venue (the Los Angeles County Arboretum) like to join in the music, sometimes screaming at the top of their lungs as we play. (If you've never heard a peacock scream, it sounds like a woman being murdered!)
Also, outdoor concerts often need to be miked, which makes them different from a pure acoustical experience.
And I haven't mentioned another big factor: weather. It's always 75 degrees and dry in the concert hall - not always so at Blossom Music Center, Grant Park, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Tanglewood...
One thing is for sure, the indoor and outdoor experiences are pretty different! Which do you prefer? And is this as a player, or an audience member, or both? Please indicate in the vote, and then share your thoughts.
You might also like:
- Lost in the Stars: Ode to a Pops Concert
- Review: James Ehnes with the LA Phil at Hollywood Bowl
- How the Talents of Many Built Success for Bravo! Vail Music Festival
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Replies
I stumbled upon a concerthall in Breckenridge Colorado. The exterior walls could be opened or closed depending upon the weather. The acoustics were a little less than a formal concert hall, but not enough that it took away from the performance. The National rep. Orchestra plays summers there. A young lady played a lark ascending. slatkin conducted, it was a great time.
The idea of outdoor music is lovely, but there's the breeze, the sun, the struggle with clothes pegs to fix music to stands... .
Outdoor concerts can be distracting. A dark concert hall puts the focus on the music.
No mosquitos. :)
This is such an interesting result - especially when indoor concerts struggle to get 1,500 people and outdoor concerts can get 15,000!!
I suspect that many people who attend outdoor concerts are going for reasons other than the music.
I do wonder how much of a factor location of concert halls, and the time and date of outdoor concerts are also factors.
Many people will no longer venture into urban environments. By contrast outdoor concerts are typically in nice and wealthy environments.
Many people have more free time on summer evenings than during other times of the year.
Perhaps an option should be added:
O - I like going to concerts, weather or not.
When there are enough mosquitos at outdoor concerts, some money can be saved by not needing to hire percussionists and piccolo players.
I enjoy attending both indoor and outdoor. It's simply a different experience. We LOVE going to Blossom almost every weekend in July & August. We also love going to Severance all year.
Blossom is a bit unique though compared to many outdoor venues. First, it was acoustically designed for The Cleveland Orchestra. It is owned and maintained by them. Second, the stage itself is climate controlled (as much as can be outdoors). Third, it's nestled in a national park, so the disruptions tend to be minimal. It's quite different than most other outdoor venues I've been to for both classical and rock concerts alike.
I only enjoy performing indoors and will pass on most every outdoor opportunity.
Outdoors really depends upon the weather, time and place. The sun, wind, bugs, temperature, humidity, uncomfortable shaking wooden chairs, sitting with brass and/or percussion blasting in your ears all make for an undesirable experience. Let’s not forget the wear or possible damage to your instrument. Many musicians I know including myself must use cheaper “outdoor” instruments. As far as the audience, the freedom of personal space, food, beverages, snacks, babies, children, mobility, etiquette, attire, etc. are more casual. Also the choices of music selections in type, etc. tend to be more audience friendly.
An important factor is the selection of the repertoire for an outdoor concert, and yesterday's Frankfurt Radio Symphony outdoor concert organized by the European Central Bank, was, I felt, a bit of a dud because the music was not thought through. A friend who lives in Frankfurt and attended coincides (I listened on YouTube). From the get-go and for example, the Richard Strauss fragment from Also Spracht Zarathustra, with its low rumble at the start and missing organ part, seemed to finish before it really began. I think an open air public likes things that they really know, and also a chance to dance and sing along. Things were better, musically and socially I felt, in the times of Heras-Casado.
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August 16, 2025 at 11:52 PM · I’ve played a few concerts with The Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom over the past few years. The stage is actually air-conditioned, so it’s surprisingly comfortable up there. That said, you can’t use gut strings or some very old instruments outdoors in that kind of humidity.
The acoustics at Blossom are phenomenal and probably among the best for an outdoor venue. Their home hall also has outstanding acoustics. They draw huge audiences, often well over 10,000 people, for their movie soundtrack nights like Jurassic Park and Harry Potter, which makes it easier to attract crowds, especially in a spacious outdoor setting.
Personally, I love the idea of outdoor concerts in the summer. I wish the New York Philharmonic had a summer festival in New York, similar to The Cleveland Orchestra’s Blossom or the Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood, based in their home state.