A concert is a good way to spend time with someone: you have something to talk about before and after, and nobody has to fill the silence in between. Here are ways to go that don’t cost much, don’t take all night, or are a little out of the ordinary.
Go for free
Low stakes, nothing to book, and easy to leave at the interval. These happen week after week:
Free Fridays at Trinity
Trinity Church, Back Bay
Midday organ concerts on Trinity's historic organs every Friday at 12:15 pm from September to May. Admission is free; a $10 donation is invited.
NEC presents hundreds of free concerts a year, including orchestra nights and the First Monday at Jordan Hall chamber series at 7:30 pm. Most Jordan Hall events are free but need a ticket reserved in advance.
The Boston Symphony and the Boston Philharmonic both hold back cheap seats for students, people under 40 and anyone who turns up on the day.
BSO Rush Tickets
$15 day-of tickets, one per person, at the Symphony Hall box office for Thursday evening, Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon BSO concerts. Sales start at 5 pm Thursday, 10 am Friday and 11 am Sunday, while they last.
Local high school and college students pay $35 for a pass, then reserve seats to BSO season concerts for as little as $5 each, subject to availability.
Students pay $12 in advance with ID, and ages 18 to 40 pay $30 through the box office. $12 rush seats for students and seniors go on sale about an hour before concerts.
Sing it yourselves. December brings Messiah sing-alongs where the audience sings the choruses; no audition, and a score if you have one. Every Messiah in Boston.
Lunch-hour concerts. Forty-five minutes of Bach on a weekday, and you can walk to lunch after.
A student recital, then dinner nearby. Conservatory recitals are short, free and full of people who will be famous later.
If you both play, play. Book a practice room and read through a duo. It’s the fastest way to find out whether you play well together. Practice rooms with pianos · Play together.