Forever Young

Spending one's birthday evening at the symphony may not seem the hippest thing to do, but for feeling young, it can't be beat. At the symphony the hair color is decidedly white and the movement style decidedly shuffle. Average age — average! — can't be less than 75.

While this makes me fear for the state of classical music, it does just the opposite for the state of my health and energy level.

Ride the elevator? Of course not. Let's take the stairs. Hum out loud during the Schumann? Maybe in the car but never in public.

But what the audience lacked in vigor, the orchestra more than made up for. During one challenging set of runs, the violin section stood up and finished the passage with a flourish. And for the encore — one of Brahms' "Hungarian Dances" — the entire orchestra leapt to their feet. Except for the cellists, of course.

So thank you, Baltimore Symphony. Last night you made me feel forever young.