The great thing about living near a big city is that big things happen near you!

So I had the chance to watch the Houston Symphony peform the score of The Fellowship of the Rings on Saturday. It was a movie-symphony combo: the movie was projected onto a theater-size screen, and the orchestra and chorus gave the musical performance below. Basically, what that meant for me is that seats that would normally be really expensive were actually quite cheap, because the front seats gave a poor view of the movie, but a good feel for the orchestra. I got to watch the percussionist play the chains (no, really! I didn't think chains were part of an orchestra, but I guess percussionists can get creative), and I could hear individual instruments like the harpsichord, the bells, and the oboe.
One of the most fascinating parts, I think, was seeing how the director coordinated his orchestra with the timing of the film. I think he had some sort of display to prompt him when songs should start, but to keep that timing clean throughout the whole 3-ish hours!
I confess that I'm not a good musician: I often start playing a piece without noting what time signature it's in, or what the key is, and I tend to ignore timing notations as well. But I'm just learned enough in music to know that what the Houston Symphony did was amazing.
And I think the boy soprano in the chorus hit some notes somewhere in the octave or two above middle c. wow.

excuse the granulation. i took this with my phone