There is nothing better than good live music performances.But tickets to quality concerts can be expensive and hard to find, especially if you are traveling on a budget. Fortunately, three big cities—Toronto, London, and New York City—have a great lineup of concerts this spring, no ticket required. Check out these first-come, first-served music hot spots.
1. Toronto
Canada’s largest city is the place to go this spring for some musical fun. The Canadian Opera Company is offering a free concert series at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheater. Every Tuesday and Thursday at noon—with the addition of some Wednesdays at noon and 5:30 pm—visitors are welcome to come and enjoy jazz, vocals, dance, piano, and world and chamber music by established and new artists. The doors open half an hour before the show, so be there early to get a good seat.► www.coc.ca
2. London
Why wait until evening to catch some great music? At Trafalgar Square in London, St. Martin’s Church offers free lunchtime concerts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. At 1:00 pm, St. Martin-in-the-Fields presents different chamber choirs, orchestras, and ensembles that perform a variety of music to be enjoyed by everyone. The tradition started in London shortly after World War II and has been carried on by St. Martin’s ever since. While donations are appreciated, music lovers are welcome to just come and enjoy some great live performances.► www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/
3. New York City
Not all great concerts fall on the weekends. For some free early-week music in the evenings, music lovers are invited to Broadway for Music Mondays once a month at 7:30 pm. Every month, different emerging ensembles are invited to perform a variety of music at 2504 Broadway. On March 19, Sospiro Winds, a wind ensemble, will be performing some favorite classical pieces. On April 23, you can come and enjoy some clever compositions at In the Kaleidoscope: Music of Sean Shepherd. On May 28, come and listen to the Escher Quartet, a string quartet that is quickly gaining note. Information can be found on the Music Mondays website.► www.musicmondays.org
—Kathy Hopkinson