Carnegie Hall

57th Street and 7th Avenue is, without question, the center of the musical universe. This is the place where performers go to make their careers. If you can say you played Carnegie Hall it puts you on a higher level than any other theater in the country.

Built in 1891, it was funded by Andrew Carnegie. He made his fortune as the owner of the Carnegie Steel Corporation back in the days when America made steel. He was wealthy and wise enough to become one of the great philanthropists in American history. Tchaikovsky performed at the opening night concert. The Carnegie family owned the hall until 1925 when it was sold to a real estate developer who, in the 1950s, wanted to sell it to the New York Philharmonic, the primary tenant. However, the orchestra was planning to move to the new Lincoln Center complex and declined. In 1960 the hall was destined for demolition but was saved at the last minute by violinist Isaac Stern and a cohort of interested backers. Eventually the hall was bought by the City of New York and is now run by the nonprofit Carnegie Hall Corporation.

The main theater, Stern Auditorium, is complemented by the smaller Weill Recital Hall used for chamber music, and Zankel Hall in the basement. The three venues are noted for their excellent acoustics and warm ambiance.

One of the oldest jokes in the music business goes like this:

Question. “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”​
Answer. “Practice!”