Miller Theatre

Intimate venue with high quality shows of all sorts. Well raked and audience is not typically as it is part of the Columbia University genre and thus rather gentile. The show I went to was truly unique with instrumental demonstrations I’d never seen prior (think toy piano) and the imaginative puppetry was also compelling thanks to some nice financial support behind the artists. I’d say if you’re even tempted to see something here you should.
Oh, if part of the Columbia network there are «meet the artist» options which are a nice perk too.

I came here for a showing of _​Beyond Beats and Rhymes). The space is very large, and the sound system is high quality. They are very strict about their no food and no beverage policy.
And for the love of god, turn down the A/​C in mid-​October! Everyone had their coats on!

Miller Theatre’s early music program is simply extraordinary. My wife and I have subscribed for years, and it offers lovely venues (almost never at the Miller Theatre itself, but most frequently at St. Mary’s Episcopal on 46^th Street, known as «Smokey Mary» for its high church doings). Last night we saw the French ensemble Poeme Harmonique, and they once again put on a splendid evening of (mostly secular) music, from the pre-​Baroque era, complete with various viols, castenets, a lute and the splendid voice of Claire Lefiliatre. The level of musicianship in the series is impresseive, often with unknown artists (the Tallis Scholars are one of the few that I was familiar with prior to beginning the series). I do miss George Steel’s involvement, but am pleased he is off saving New York CIty Opera.
The Miller Theatre also offers series focusing on modern composers and jazz which seem to offer much (I once saw their retrospective on John Zorn, which was splendid).

This place is absolutely great. Perhaps my favorite place to see modern music… I saw Marc-​Andre Hamelin play Albeniz’s Iberia, I saw Xenakis’ Oresteia — both were absolutely mindblowing… The hall itself is small and quaint, cozy, with very warm (but also flat) acoustics, the staff are all very helpful, the bathrooms are a bit oldfashioned, but I will definitely visit this place again and again for such music as Nancarrow and Cage and Adams and Ligeti, etc.

You don’t have to be a Columbia student to enjoy the wonderful lectures and concerts at Miller Theater (although it helps if you know someone with a Columbia ID who can get you a discount).
A friend once gave me for my birthday tickets to a 3-​lecture series by Noam Chomsky here. I am also grateful to have seen Edward Said lecture here before he passed away.
They schedule very interesting music events. Sometimes I prefer them to the larger venues because I can seat myself quite close to the stage. I heard some of the best emerging Russian pianists here, as well as an intriguing interpretation of Chopin (sorry, can’t remember the pianist’s name).
Check out the website in advance. If you are into classical music, you really should attend some of the events here. Some of the lesser known musicians who have yet to hit Carnegie or Avery Fisher play here, and you can see them before they hit it big. Also, prices are cheaper.