Attending Symphony Concert - Gil Shaham and Carmina Burana

September 19. My Birthday eve. A black limousine in all its shining luxury halted just ahead of us. Two people who would aptly fit to be called "lady and gentleman" alighted from the car and walked through the heavy entrance doors.

As we entered the lobby of the Majestic Theater in Downtown San Antonio, we were greeted by tuxedo and formal-gown clad members who welcomed us with complimentary champagne. The lobby was dimly lit with a low indistinctive noise all around. The traffic was increasing in the narrow East Houston Street and so was the crowd on what was a sold out day of performance.

I never learnt any form of music, but did learn to love all kinds of it. And a long-awaited first visit to a symphony concert was just the moment I knew I was going to cherish for a long time.

Minutes later, we settled down at our seats at the mezzanine level, looking around in awe at the magnificent theater. The ceiling was dark blue spotted with tiny lights giving an open-sky feel. The noise wasn't ceasing anytime soon with people flocking in trying to make their way through the dim lights. A few musicians began taking their places, some working on the passages they needed to polish before the performance with no regard to what other musicians were practicing. It was fun listening to those random notes from violins, cellos, tambourines and trumpets mingled in no specific order.

As the conductor walked swiftly into his position, there was a sudden silence almost giving an eerie feel. Without much ado, the performance started with the American National Anthem. As we were about to retire to our seats, the conductor walked back with Gil Shaham - the Illinois-born Israeli violinist who won a Grammy Award in 1999 for Best Chamber Music Performance. The next 45 minutes was a treat to the soul as Gil Shaham unleashed an Allegro.

The best part was only about to start. If you've ever listened to an erstwhile Old Spice ad, or more recently, the introductory music in Michael Jackson's History DVD collection, you would know what, arguably, is the most famous piece of music ever composed. Carmina Burana is a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts in Latin from the 11th or 12th century. Between 1935 and 1936, Carl Orff composed the cantata Carmina Burana based on 24 of the poems found in the original Carmina Burana manuscript.

The drum rolled and the choir began singing the best known piece of the composition - the opening section, O Fortuna. I could feel the nerves tingle, like what only music could do to you - as if I had just fallen head over heels in love all over again. (Music is one of the things V wouldn't mind me falling in love with). Although the Latin words were hard to follow, the translation ran on the screen suspended on top of the stage that made it possible to make an English-sense to the performance.

Carmina Burana was performed for about 70 minutes. The standing ovation that followed was an experience of a lifetime, as we joined the audience in a nonstop applause lasting almost five full minutes.

That brought it just a few minutes to midnight, and it was a privilege having celebrated the most unique birthday party - with Gil Shaham and Carmina Burana!