I try to experience at least one “first” everyday; whether it’s learning a new word or jumping out of an airplane. No, I didn’t go skydiving, but I did experience my first concert at the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. I got to see an unforgettable show by the Japanese music-genius, Seiji Ozawa. As a piano player, classical music blows me away and I’ve never had the opportunity to see a live orchestra.

The evening started as a surprise. All I was told by my parents was to wear something formal. I had no idea where we were going. Not knowing what to expect, I decided to play it safe and wore a knee-length cocktail dress. I tend to wear solid colors when I’m unsure of where I’m going, so I went with dark violet; one of my favorite colors for a dress. It was a chic sleeveless, with no patterns. Formal to me means simplicity; I don’t like to clutter myself with jewelry that will take the focus off my outfit, so I wore a three-piece diamond necklace with matching earrings and a bracelet. My father always tells me to wear my hair in an up-do when I dress formal, so that’s exactly what I did.

When we got off at the Potsdamer Platz train station, I saw the great historic building and my heart nearly stopped. I couldn’t believe that I was about to witness my first orchestra! I tried to keep my cool and act like a lady, however, I quickly lost my breath when I stepped into the building and saw the people around me. I was surrounded by sheer elegance and beauty. The women around me wore beautiful outfits varying from long dresses of every color and style, to velvety-looking pants. I felt like I’d stepped into a world that I was completely unfamiliar with; I even saw men with tuxedoes and top hats! After a few minutes of admiration, I remembered to breathe and started to feel a little more comfortable.

I’ve never felt teary from music before. Conductor Seiji Ozawa creates music that can not be described in words; it’s magical. The finale of the concert was one of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies. I lost track of reality and was blown away by the combination of all these instruments; I couldn’t believe my ears! If you’ve never been to an orchestra before, or think that you probably won’t enjoy one, I highly recommend that you, at least, give one a try. It’s an experience that everyone should have once in their life. It’s also worth seeing a room full of people where not one person is wearing jeans *wink* Tonight was, definitely, a first that I’ll always remember!

Love always,
Mia