Web site offers a glimpse into the symphony

Site-seeing with Jan Perry

This week marks the opening of the 1999-2000 season of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Founded in 1895, the CSO is the ninth largest and fifth oldest symphony in the United States. It is one of only 18 to provide full-time, year-round employment to its musicians.

And it is also, along with the Cincinnati Pops, a source of pride for people throughout the tri-state - on and off the Web.

Cream of crop & Pops

http://www.cincinnatisymphony.org

Everything you ever wanted to know about the city's two musical marvels is right here.

You'll find schedules for both the CSO & Pops, a history of both, information about tickets and group sales, educational programs and social activities sponsored by the organization.

Classical Conversations are conducted in Music Hall's Corbett Tower or in the auditorium one hour before concerts begin, according to the schedule below. These lecture/discussions are free to all concertgoers, and complimentary refreshments are available.

Parties of Note are adult-oriented theme parties, most held in private homes. Proceeds from them benefit the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Those of you with children will want to read about the Parties of 1/2 Note, which are also given by the Cincinnati Symphony Association and provide fun for children ages 3 and up. (Parties of 1/2 Note benefit the CSO's educational activities.)

And of course, you can read about the conductors, upcoming guest conductors and special guest artists.

She's all that-plus writer

http://www.sonyclassical.com

One such artist, 19-year-old violin virtuoso Hilary Hahn, has been keeping a cyber-scrapbook as she travels from concert to concert and country to country. Her thoughts are well-written and prove interesting for any of us who have ever wondered what life on the road is like for any star.

Her notes are like diary entries - full of general information as well as personal observations.

From Seattle, Wash., she writes about a normal week on the road - including her naps and eating schedule on performance days. Leaving Adelaide, Australia, her observations are from a jet. and in Jerusalem, Israel, she says ''...Yesterday, the day after the concert, my dad and I walked all around the Old City part of Jerusalem, entering through Herod's Gate and proceeding on to the Muslim, Armenian, Jewish, and Christian quarters. Packed along each side of every major street are hundreds of little open-air shops, selling everything from sandals to freshly-ground saffron, Middle-Eastern food (kabobs, hummus, falafel, pita bread, etc.) and beautiful fabrics.''

Also included at her part of the Sony site are questions from and answers to school kids.

Let's hope Ms. Hahn, who performs this weekend (Sept. 17 and 18) with the CSO, will include a brief note about her stay here in the Queen City.

A zoom with a view

http://w3.one.net/~spmh/

Did you ever wonder what a satellite photo of Music Hall would look like? Find out at the site for the Society for the Preservation of Music Hall.

Music Hall was built in 1878 and was recognized as a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior in 1975. It's is owned by the City of Cincinnati and managed by the Cincinnati Arts Association.

Read all about the building's history, and about it's future on this site.

Jan Perry is a Kentucky-based writer who welcomes your comments. Write to her at SiteSeer2K@aol.com.