The Los Angeles Philharmonic

BUYER BEWARE! A very nice friend gave me a $ 100 «LA Phil gift card» that is «valid thru May 2023»; HOWEVER, the LA Phil deducts $ 2.50 per month if you don’t use it. So, for anyone buying an LA Phil gift card, know that you may be throwing your money away if the receiving party doesn’t use it very soon after receipt. By 2023, my gift card would have a value of -$ 140.00. I wonder if they would charge me the difference! This is an absurd policy and seems unethical. I will change from a season ticket holder to boycotting ALL concerts at the LA Phil. Good riddance!

Worst experience of my life trying to order tickets online. I have an account from previous ticket purchases. I entered my account number and password. Rejected. Tried again several times. All rejected. Had a temp password sent so I could reset my password. THE TEMPORARY PASSWORD WAS REJECTED! By the way, the LA PHIL REQUIRES you to log in or create an account to buy tickets. There is no option to check out as a guest. So I tried creating a new account using a different email and password, because I had tickets in my basket I really wanted to purchase for a concert. THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT LET ME COMPLETE REGISTRATION for a new account. I entered all the information and accepted the terms and conditions but when I hit the «confirm» button… Nothing. Not one thing I could do worked on this glitchy system. I tried for 20 minutes while the clock ticked down on the tickets in my cart. Finally the clock expired, and when I tried to purchase the same seats again they were gone. Of course, this was during hours the box office was closed, so even though I called all I got was a recording. Disgusted with the entire process.
ALSO, I have a gift card. On the gift card it says «To redeem your LA PHil Gift Card: via
with an LAPhil account.» NOT TRUE. When you go to buy tickets online, even when logged into your LAPhil account, the ONLY option is to pay by debit or credit card. There is no way to use a gift card online. Makes the gift card virtually worthless.

My daughter and I attended our first concert here Friday night. We had a great time. The architectural design is stunning & breathtaking. Gustavo Dudamel and the orchestra was phenomenal. We will definitely come back for future concerts.

Ok

Great los angeles tradition. Love this place. If you have never been here for breakfast add this to your bucket list.

Was at the Disney Concert Hall last evening. I’m not a big orchestra-​type of guy, but they were performing the music from the video game «Zelda». Well, I’m not a video-​game type of person either. My son bought me a ticket for Father’s Day. WOW! What an incredible performance. Talk about a band being «tight», these pros were on their game. SUPER SUPER sound… SO much music… just delightful and full of ENERGY!

Going to hear LA Phil has always been my favorite Los Angeles pastime and I am a new subscriber — I pay what I can, which isn’t much, to support and to subscribe what is so important to me.
This poor review is of the LA Phil Audience Services Team, not of performances or the caliber of the Phil.
My customer service experiences as a subscriber have left me feeling like I haven’t paid enough to earn good customer service. This morning, I was actually hung up on by a Subscriber Services Employee from whom I was trying to buy an additional ticket. She was so rude, it was astounding, and when she hung up on me mid sentence, I left the conversation furious and shaking.
My last purchase, during which I used a gift card, required multiple phone calls with multiple audience services employees, none of whom could figure out how to charge my ticket purchases to my gift cards. The gift card process is incredibly cumbersome, employees are not trained or equipped to process them, and LA Phil website is incredibly unhelpful in this regard.
Again, I love the Phil, but I will not continue to support an organization that makes me feel so unappreciated and that leaves me feeling so angry and upset whenever I need to make a transaction or would like to take advantage of the subscriber services that I pay for.
Someone let me know when they turn their audience services outfit around. I’ll be waiting.

Worth every penny!
I have attended many musical performances across the globe and am happy to report that the LA Philharmonic ranks among the best I have experienced. The quality of the artists, coupled with the leadership of the Conductor and the amazing acoustics of the Walt Disney Concert Hall all combined to make this a memorable evening.

10 STARS! MY EARS ADORE YOU!!!
I have only been attending LA PHIL concerts regularly for my first year subscription although I always purchased individual tickets to lots of concerts. I am their biggest cheerleader and before subscribing I felt a bit like an outsider, until I decided to become a PART of this wonderful organization as a Subscriber (see BEST VALUE below for details) and to support it.
I travel over 300 miles to each concert because the high caliber of each performance by the
LAP @ the WALT DISNEY HALL– is ABOVE PAR!!! The gorgeous all wooden hall (with the exception of the cushions :) is AN INSTRUMENT itself — GORGEOUS ACOUSTICS!
This is one of the CREAM OF THE CROP MOST ACCESSIBLE, FRIENDLIEST ORCHESTRAS in the USA! What a fantastic group of musicians led by Gustavo Dudamel a volcano on stage, and always so down to earth and so friendly (I have had the pleasure of meeting him three times and HE is the real deal!). This organization led by President and CEO Ms Borda thrives because
they know how important it is to be in tune with their AUDIENCE! AN EXAMPLE:
When I missed a concert due to traffic, they have called me and offered a kind invitation to a future concert. SEVERAL Musicians
I have run into at the hall have thanked US patrons…“for our Support!“
PROGRAMS: Exciting, INNOVATIVE, never stale! WORLD-​class soloists, multi-​media, even operatic concertos are offered.
No matter how many times they play
The classics –they ALWAYS surprise and challenge their audiences with PREMIERS from living composers!!!
The MUSICIANS: are ROCK STARS! I happen to adore the strings (cello, bass, but every concert I discover the beauty of instruments that are highlited in a certain piece, like the brilliant brass sections’ trumpets, French horns, Trombones etc.) These DEDICATED AND PASSIONATE music makers sound ALWAYS prepared, SHOW UP smiling on stage, and in between pieces, and are so down to earth — they come out and mingle with concert goers at Casual Friday, and special events. Noteworthy to say: NOW as a subscriber feel like a TEAM MOM :))) ALWAYS cheering for these amazing music-​athletes of Classical music!!!
*******BEST VALUE for your money: *******
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER-​and INSIDER!
Get to KNOW this organization, bring friends, attend the lecture before each concert, ask questions. INTERACT with the music before you attend, preview it online, etc.
JOIN their Facebook page — they post special events and last minute additions.
ATTEND: Special events and get to know the music makers and busy bees behind the scenes.
House Manager– what an asset to this organization– he is always seen mingling and chatting with concert goers, making all feel welcome.
PARKING: SO AFFORDABLE for downtown @ $ 9.- flat fee. ARRIVE early, walk to grab a bite before concert or after!
Ushers: THE BEST! Friendly and helpful always!
I LOVE YOU LA PHIL!!! IT’S SO WONDERFUL TO COME BACK AND BE TOLD YOU ARE APPRECIATED AND EVEN BE REMEMBERED BY NAME!

Tasman, Sibelius, and Gorecki. It was a fantastic night.
My daughter and i came here not for Dudamel. Even though my family is a Dudamel mania like everybody in LA is, this concert gave us lots of inspirations as well. Tasman is new for me but introduced by conductor Andrey Boreyko, it blew my mind. Violinist Nikolaj Znaider’s interpretation was fantastic and he got three time ancore. Gorecki is a great composer with orchestra and organ, it was mesmerizing and fun.
Pre-​concert event with Brian Lauritzen help us understanding about new composers with the video clips and he is handsome and young.
I was so glad because we sat at the Terrace seat instead of Orchestra View where i’ve been seated for 10years, and where the sound is very ridiculous because i couldn’t hear violins, but timpani or brass. LA Phil is giving us opportunity to take a Terrace seat for $ 20.
. Even no handling fee. I got 4 tickets in advance for $ 80 to enjoy high-​end classical music.

This place was okay, but the concert hall was a bit small for a theatre it looked even smaller than regular movie theaters that I’ve been to.

LA Phil, not to be confused with the Walt Disney Concert Hall, is a group of amazingly talented individuals who get together to play the best pieces for the masses in Los Angeles. There is nothing negative to be said about this group, because every performance I have ever been to has been nothing but phenomenal.
The most memorable experience was the earthquake Friday night 3/​28, when the 5.1 shook the building to the point of ceiling and organ creaking and microphones swinging. Conductor Dutoit and the orchestra kept going, even as the performance became uncertain at the earthquake’s peak and when the audience wasn’t even paying attention with anxiety. The level of professionalism and command the entire group had was nothing less than amazing, and the performance itself was astounding.
Always an excellent experience, and I will continue to see classical performances as long as I am in LA.

Wonderful place for music. When Dudamel is in the house it is like watching a giant poodle conducting. Highly recommend the seats behind the orchestra for a different view. (And did I mention they are a little cheaper too?)
Would also like to add that we had a flat tire getting to the concert hall parking and the staff was incredibly nice and helpful arranging for someone to come and patch during intermission.

I’ve been here twice now. Once for Fiona Apple & Blake Mills and again last night for Gustavo Dudamel & the LA Phil. The first time was great, music was loud enough. Last night however, it was not. The music was amazing, so no beef there, but seeing something so rich and beautiful as The Nutcracker, one would hope it would be loud enough to be all encompassing. It felt as though I had my car stereo set to ONLY the front speakers, and it was on only loud enough to hear it, but not to truly listen. Had this been loud enough, it would have sent chills down my spine… Quite disappointed as I am fully aware of the WDCH’s acoustic reputation… Apparently it’s supposed to sound pretty much the same from every seat in the house… who knows, maybe it was quiet for everyone, but I certainly felt terrible for the 75+ ers in the audience (at least 65% of the crowd) who undoubtedly had a harder time hearing then I, currently in my mid 20’s. I sat dead center, Row A, Balcony Section. :/​
Note: they gave us a 20 minute intermission, and even with sprinting out of the auditorium, the lines for the bathroom and the bar leaves you only enough time to slam a beverage and RUN back inside before you are locked out for a very long time. You cannot bring anything besides water into the hall, so I would advise getting your fill of libations before the show even begins. Mini cup of house red (it was good, despite being chugged) was $ 10, pretty standard for a bougey venue.

I recently visited the Phil for an all-​Dvorak concert. The orchestra is superb and is nestled in one of Gehry’s genius masterpieces. The hall is stunning and like no other. Unfortunately the young genius, Dudamel, was not conducting, but there’s always next time.
I kept hearing about the rave reviews about the acoustics, but I have to be honest and say that I was really not that impressed. The hall is pretty to look at but there were times in the Carnival Overture where the strings were laboriously playing away, but the timpani, cymbals, and tambourine completely drowned them out. There were often dead spots in the orchestra and I couldn’t hear instruments that were supposed to come out. Some if the best acoustics come from halls of the Cleveland, Boston, and Vienna.
The orchestra strutted it’s finest during the 8^th, where it was clear that the musicians were completely in control, and during this performance I truly did hear some acoustic marvels. There was extreme power during the gentle murmur of the strings as well as the punctuated melodies of the flute. Even during the forte, powerful sections did the musicians exercise extreme control and finesse.
A wonderful experience for everyone to see and hear. I’m looking forward to seeing Maestro Dudamel perform with these fine musicians.

Shostakovich 5^th, a flute of good Rosé. Very my-​kind-​of-​night.
Try the seats behind the orchestra, the building has great acoustics so you won’t miss out on anything. Those seats give you a surreal feeling of actually being a part of the orchestra, where you can see the conductor’s face. Magnificent and very rare.
Don’t forget to bring $ 9 cash for parking.

We Had Great Seats, But if your there for the music, there no bad seats

I’ve seen the Los Angeles Philharmonic three times. Each time, my socks get officially knocked off! They are absolutely fabulous! I saw them with Lang Lang at the Hollywood Bowl and Lang Lang is a great pianist. He was doing things with that piano that were anatomically impossible. Then I saw my most favorite of favorite conductors, Gustavo Dudamel, He conducts his orchestra the same way that Rafa Nadal plays tennis and the same way that Jose Andres cooks his food. It must be a Spanish thing. Wait… Dudamel is from Venezuela. Anyway… regardless, he is so passionate and he just feels the music with every note played. I saw his twice at the Hollywood Bowl and I prefer the Hollywood Bowl performances, especially if you sit in the little green chairs in the front, picnic style. You can bring outside food and beverages and just watch and listen to the beautiful music being played.
I then saw the LA Phil at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. That was aaawesome! I still prefer the Hollywood Bowl, but at the concert hall, every seat is a great seat. And the hall is built, such that you don’t need any amplification for the instruments. You hear the music directly. I saw another conductor, Juanjo Mena (he’s the one from Spain)…and he was good… BUT, he just didn’t have the same pzazz as Dudamel. Nonetheless, he was brilliant. He conducted pieces by Brahms and Mozart. The Brahms pieces were a little softer and subtle. I think Brahms suffered from depression, I’m not sure. Still good though! Then the Mozart kicked it and I just felt so fired up! I wanted to go out and buy a violin!
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is absolutely amazing! I will miss them! Here continues my LA bucket list…

I really enjoy the performances of the Phil, lovely evening!

How the Philanthropy begat the Philharmonic. My volunteer efforts with a certain non-​profit are dotted with moments that are completely unexpected. They are usually spur of the moment last minute deals that just seem to materialize when you need them the most. So I get this random call informing me that my Phil efforts put me at the top of the list for some gratis Phil seats.
Would I be interested in check out a group that has been around since the 80’s with a killer set list? An old school German band? That would be the 1880’s not the 1980’s and it would be the Berlin Philharmonic touring the states.
What an elegant and majestic place to see an orchestra perform. The acoustics are
superb and both the interior and exterior of the concert hall are a visual treat.
This is an experience for the senses, even if you are not a classical fan such as myself. The pomp and circumstance and the power and the presence of the music
makes this a timeless experience. Very well staffed it is easy to find your seats and
figure out the proper etiquette for an evening watching the orchestra. It was fun to be immersed in music that seems timeless.
The concessions prices and parking are crazy expensive so keep that in mind. I would not come hungry or thirsty to such an event. Of note when the Phil is at the Disney Concert hall you can valet at Patina and they validate if you grab a bite or
visit their bar.
Thanks Phil for the Phil!