Emotional and energetic
by Gary S on 2/18/25Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts - RaleighRating: 5 out of 5Orchestra, conductor and pianist were all full of emotion and energy- Very moving evening.

Classical
Orchestra, conductor and pianist were all full of emotion and energy- Very moving evening.
The music, venue and service were wonderful. However, the temperature for the first half (before intermission) was unbelievably hot, to the point it was distracting and made me feel a bit unwell. The second half was a bit better but still warm. Otherwise, a great evening.
This show was really good! The only criticism is that the sound quality could have been better. The performers were fantastic, but the sound was so loud and harsh sometimes that it was hard to appreciate the talent. Perhaps something could be done with the microphones? For an older crowd, the audience was rowdy….which we loved, The Motown revue brought back so many memories! The symphony is always wonderful!
A great evening of contemporary music with the symphony. Love all these events. Wish there were more
More than I imagined. The Mr. Chester and Ms. Steele were outstanding and the song choices PERFECT! If you ever see their name on the billboard just go get your ticket.
The talentin singers were awesome and the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra was on point. Great event!!! Felt like I was in NY.
I want sure what to expect, but the NC Symphony NEVER disappoints. This night was no exception. The singers were great and the music and arrangements were incredible! This was an amazing night! Loved every minute of it.
Extremely enjoyable. Will definitely go back again and again. Wonderful acoustics. Loved the performance
Marvelously and brilliantly performed. Definitely worth every bit of what I spent.
My husband and I just moved to Raleigh 4 months ago and feel so fortunate to now live in a city that has so much in the way of music, culture and diversity to offer. This concert was perfect timing! It provided an escape from reality for a couple of hours. Good music in a wonderful venue!
This was such a dynamic musical performance. The headlining band backed up by the symphony orchestra was a perfect combination to showcase the music of James Taylor, Neil Diamond and Paul Simon. People were clapping and singing along. It was an uplifting show.
What a wonderful evening. The symphony was outstanding. Such talented musicians. Make the effort and take the time to see them.
It was such a great experience. People stood up and sing along, and it will encourage me and my son to continue to attend more symphony events.
1/4/2025: This was my first time attending a performance of the NC Symphony in the Meymandi Concert Hall at the Martin Marietta Center for Performing Arts, and it will not be my last. Really enjoyed the Family Concert of Tchaikovsky Discovers America with the dramatic and dance performance. The concert hall does not have a bad seat and the acoustics were wonderful.
The character speaking roles during the performance as well as the truncated pieces, left the entire family feeling disappointed. We believed we going to hear a selection of pieces, not snippets that were yelled over by the actors. I am glad the cost was reasonable as the performance itself was a let down. This was supposed to start the year on a high note... Take note if you are hoping to see the symphony, this might not be the show for you. End note: when the symphony DID play, they were delightful.
The North Carolina Symphony ALWAYS delivers! This was no exception. We all (ages 9-71) enjoyed it so much. What a great lead in to Christmas Day! Thank you NC Symphony!!!
We enjoyed the show. It was very professional and we liked the variety of music!
I erroneously expected this event to primarily be featuring the NC Symphony. The majority of the show featured the Youth choir supported by the symphony brass. The choir made up of high school students was the kind of quality you’d expect from a school choir; acceptable but nothing impressive. Regarding the facility, it was frustrating that no bag check was provided as an alternative for women with oversized bags. The distribution of the candles was also not well executed; handing out at the ticket scan location would have made more sense.
Great Christmas and related holiday music! Very creative pieces of music with a pleasant variety. Our family enjoys this Christmas event every year! We look forward to seeing you again next Christmas!
It was distracting when the conductors changed. It would have been most dramatic to have the lights off when the candles were lit as the musicians had lights on their stands. Hard to call it a Candlelight concert with all the lights on. We liked the Nutcracker medley and Carol of the Bells. People coming in after the performance started was irritating and distracting.