The symphony and the concerto are two primary genres of classical music composed for the orchestra, with the concerto featuring an instrumental soloist. This course examines the historical development, formal structures (including sonata form), performance rituals, and cultural meanings of the symphony and concerto from the Classical and Romantic eras up to the present, focusing on major composers and canonical works being performed during the spring concert season in New York City. The course also explores the symphony and the concerto as models and inspirations for creative expression in literature, the visual arts, and cinema. Students will develop their critical listening skills through score analysis and descriptive writing along with traditional research and analysis papers. This seminar+ course includes attendance at selected concerts outside of regular classtime. A familiarity with music notation is recommended but not required for this course.