I wanted go to see the St Thomas Boys Choir, from Leipzig - the choir that JS Bach directed when he was working in at the St Thomas Church.
Thing is, I make it a point to only pay for one or two concerts or plays a year.
It's a habit I developed to save money that goes towards wells in Afghanistan: someone came to church once, and asked for money to dig wells there. I felt it was a good cause, but where to get the money? Answer: cut down on the entertainment. Movies are relatively cheap, but concerts and plays, especially concerts, can set you back a bit. I figured that a year or two of just going to my absolutely must-go show, and cutting back on buying tickets for the "would like to go" or the "wow, sounds good, let's go" show, there'd be enough for a well.
Last year, I coughed up $70-something, and saw Murray Perahia from the giddy heights of the third circle. The rest of the time, I just mentioned that I would be interested, and waited for a stroke of luck. Occasionally, someone who got tickets would be unable to go, or someone might get two tickets and only need one, so I, as someone who was interested, would get a magic call.
That's my little trick to get free entertainment. Not much of a trick, really. That's because people generally don't like to waste things - better that you fill the seat than it stays empty, right?
To move further up the calling list, I generally try not to be too fussy about tickets offered to me. Nothing is more annoying than phoning someone and them saying "oh no, I don't feel like it" or "I'm only interested if it's The Rolling Stones or the Berlin Phil" - let's face it, if they have such desirable tickets, they'd call other people first.
Good concert.
What I found interesting was meeting a friend the next day, and she saying her sister-in-law had gone for the same concert, having won tickets on a radio show. "She wins something almost every week," said my friend, noting that she thinks you only need to be a bit anal in order to win. I'm sure it didn't reflect her opinion of her sis-in-law.
This was something - I'm always alert to new ways to score free tickets if no one calls. We don't all have lobangs who can source complimentary tickets, and I don't like to bother my friends much anyway (it's a bit like sponging off the stocks of goodwill they have with other people). But I can be anal.
I think I'll start listening to the radio, with the telephone handy...
Thing is, I make it a point to only pay for one or two concerts or plays a year.
It's a habit I developed to save money that goes towards wells in Afghanistan: someone came to church once, and asked for money to dig wells there. I felt it was a good cause, but where to get the money? Answer: cut down on the entertainment. Movies are relatively cheap, but concerts and plays, especially concerts, can set you back a bit. I figured that a year or two of just going to my absolutely must-go show, and cutting back on buying tickets for the "would like to go" or the "wow, sounds good, let's go" show, there'd be enough for a well.
Last year, I coughed up $70-something, and saw Murray Perahia from the giddy heights of the third circle. The rest of the time, I just mentioned that I would be interested, and waited for a stroke of luck. Occasionally, someone who got tickets would be unable to go, or someone might get two tickets and only need one, so I, as someone who was interested, would get a magic call.
That's my little trick to get free entertainment. Not much of a trick, really. That's because people generally don't like to waste things - better that you fill the seat than it stays empty, right?
To move further up the calling list, I generally try not to be too fussy about tickets offered to me. Nothing is more annoying than phoning someone and them saying "oh no, I don't feel like it" or "I'm only interested if it's The Rolling Stones or the Berlin Phil" - let's face it, if they have such desirable tickets, they'd call other people first.
This attitude got me into concerts by Bryn Terfel (world-famous baritone), Santana, oh yes, and The Rolling Stones. I've been to dance performances, drama and stand-up comedy, in concert halls, pubs and theatres small and large.
Some of the shows I never even thought I wanted to see when I read about them. Often, I enjoyed myself immensely. And if I didn't, well, at least I didn't have to pay for it.
Back to the St Thomas Boys Choir. Nobody called, and I really wanted to go. With tickets from $41 to $121, I could avoid the nose-bleed altitude of the third circle, but I'd probably not make it to ground level.
So I called a friend who works in the papers and mentioned how I wanted to see the concert. I was in luck - she took the hint, and found us tickets.Good concert.
What I found interesting was meeting a friend the next day, and she saying her sister-in-law had gone for the same concert, having won tickets on a radio show. "She wins something almost every week," said my friend, noting that she thinks you only need to be a bit anal in order to win. I'm sure it didn't reflect her opinion of her sis-in-law.
This was something - I'm always alert to new ways to score free tickets if no one calls. We don't all have lobangs who can source complimentary tickets, and I don't like to bother my friends much anyway (it's a bit like sponging off the stocks of goodwill they have with other people). But I can be anal.
I think I'll start listening to the radio, with the telephone handy...
So have you won anything??
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I got a T-shirt and a "Get off my Bach" decal from the classical radio channel. Gave away the T-shirt, which was q pretty.
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