My experience during the Seattle Symphony on March 14 was both unexpected and unforgettable. I had heard of the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky before, but I had never actually heard the piece. That meant that I had no idea that the piece was going to be so different from what I had heard in the past. Having the opportunity to listen to the Rite of Spring for the first time live was an amazing experience, but what made the performance even better was the pre-concert talk we listened to before the concert titled “Brave and Startling Truth”. The talk gave context on all the pieces that the symphony was going to play including the Rite of Spring. The context behind this piece was very inspiring to me. I loved hearing about Stravinsky’s very intentional composition choices and how he made use of his music to send a message about needed change in the society he lived in despite knowing that his piece was going to cause severe controversy among his listeners. That day, I left the concert hall with a new understanding of how complex and powerful music can be as well as with a new appreciation of classical music that I will cherish during the remainder of my own musical journey.
By Ana Oliva
