When You’re Here
The San Luis Obispo Symphony strives to create a welcoming, friendly environment for all patrons. Whether you’re attending your very first concert or haven’t missed one in decades, we hope you find this information helpful.
If you have questions that aren’t addressed here, please feel free to contact the Symphony office during business hours or find a member of the staff or board of directors at a concert or event.
Program lengths do vary, but a typical night at a Classics series concert will follow this timeline:
- 5:30pm Arrive early to find good parking
- 5:45pm If needed, stop by Will Call to pick up your tickets
- 6:00pm Doors open to the lobby
- 6:30pm Attend Symphonic Forays, the pre-concert talk
- 7:00pm Head to the lobby to listen to the Youth Symphony and enjoy a beverage and snack
- 7:20pm Ask a PAC usher to guide you to your seat
- 7:25pm Peruse the program
- 7:30pm Concert begins
- 8:20pm Intermission
- 8:40pm Second half begins
The SLO Symphony Concerts in the Cohan series will be performed at:
Performing Arts Center
1 Grand Avenue
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 (map)
Other concerts and events may be held at various venues around the county – get on our email list and check our website to keep up to date.
There is a parking structure adjacent to the PAC. Spots are free, but they are first-come, first-serve, and fill up quickly – so be sure to arrive early.
Another reason to arrive early is to listen to the pre-show Symphonic Forays at 6:30pm to learn more about the music.
Additional parking options may be available. Please click here for the Cal Poly campus parking website.
For all parking questions, please email tickets@calpoly.edu or call the Cal Poly Ticket Office at 805-756-4849.
Yes! There are concession areas throughout the lobby at the PAC that sell light snacks and drinks, including beer and wine. Concessions will be sold prior to each concert and during intermission.
Be advised that the PAC’s policies regarding food are as follows:
No outside food or beverages, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic, are permitted inside the venue. Beverages purchased from concessions are allowed in the theater unless otherwise specified.
Many people see a night out at the Symphony as an excuse to dress up a bit. For others, it’s a chance to relax, and a much more casual affair.
You won’t see your fellow concertgoers wearing a lot of tuxedos or flip flops, but you’ll see everything in between. Please dress in a way that makes you comfortable.
Symphonic Forays are a great place to learn more about the music that will be performed at each concert. SLO Symphony Music Director Andrew Sewell will be joined onstage by special guests one hour prior to the concert to discuss the music that will be performed. Learn about each piece’s history, its composer, why it was selected for that night’s program, and special moments you should listen for during the concert.
Your program will also include interesting and informative facts about each piece in that evening’s repertoire. Read the program notes before the concert to gain a deeper understanding of the music.
If research interests you, other ways to learn about the music are to read the program notes in your digital program, or even listen to recordings of the pieces ahead of time. However, it is not required – listen with an open mind and the music will speak for itself.
SLO Symphony musicians, staff, and board members can also be sources of useful and interesting information. Always feel free to ask.
You may notice that before the concert, several musicians sit onstage and warm up by playing scales or portions of the piece they will be performing. Just like athletes warm up their bodies, musicians do, too! Some may do this backstage instead.
When it’s time to begin, the concertmaster will be the last musician to enter the stage. The concertmaster is the violinist who sits in the first chair of the first violins. She is the leader of that section, but she also plays a leadership role for the entire orchestra. She will cue the oboe to play an A so that the whole orchestra can tune before the music begins.
Once the tuning has completed, the conductor will enter and begin the music. You may notice that he sometimes walks offstage for a moment between pieces. This is a chance for him to take a breath and collect his thoughts about the next piece.
We believe that classical music should be enjoyable and accessible. The audience experience at orchestra concerts has evolved over time, and some of our guests refrain from clapping between movements and hold their applause for the end of the entire piece. Nevertheless, it is perfectly appropriate to clap between movements. If the music touched you or impressed you, please feel free to let the conductor and musicians hear your enthusiasm.
We love sharing music with listeners of all ages. However, the venue only allows children ages 5+ into the concerts.
For families with children of any age who want to enjoy a more casual atmosphere, please join us at our No Ties Allowed open dress rehearsal at the PAC at 11am on the morning of every concert!
The San Luis Obispo Symphony is a nonprofit organization. Ticket sales and tuition cover less than a third of our total program and concert expenses. We rely on the generosity of our donors to continue bringing powerful symphony concerts to the Central Coast, as well as to support our music education programs.
We hope that if you enjoy our concert, you will consider making a contribution. With your help, we can continue to provide these performances for many years to come.
If you selected mobile tickets, your PACSLO.org Account will allow you to manage your tickets. Use the “Transfer” button to share your tickets with fellow attendees.