How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

…Practice, practice, practice! Or so goes the old joke. But it’s also a true statement. The high level of music performed at New York’s oldest concert hall is consistently impressive, and fortunately there’s never a shortage of Tchaikovsky on display. Literally on display! Not only do many of the world’s orchestras, artists, and ensembles present works by the Russian master composer, there’s also a wonderful display of archived notes between him and Carnegie, several personal effects and diary entries, as well as other Tchaikovsky memorabilia in their beautiful little museum. It’s well worth your time when you’re in New York.

As readers of my novel Fate know only too well, Tchaikovsky was invited by Andrew Carnegie himself to be one of the conductors on the opening night of the Music Hall (as it was then called.) After all, there were few composers more famous than Pyotr Ilyich– even in America. On that fateful night in 1891, the composer was his typical nervous self and could barely force himself onto the stage. It all turned out well in the end however, and the amazing thing is that his music has never stopped being played there, some 126 years later.

On November 9, 2017 the esteemed Israel Philharmonic will be presenting a true Tchaikovsky jewel, his Violin Concerto. (It’s not numbered because it’s the only one he ever wrote.) And if you’ve never heard it played live, then I urge you to get tickets to this performance. The orchestra will be under the baton of the one and only Zubin Mehta which makes this event at Carnegie Hall one of truly historic proportions.

Happy November! ~Adin Dalton