Directions

Desert Hills High School is located at 828 Desert Hills Dr E, St. George, UT 84790

From I-15

Take Exit 4 for Brigham Road East Turn right on Desert Hills Drive. Desert Hills High School will be on your left, past the middle school.

From River Road

Turn on Brigham Road West Turn left on Desert Hills Drive. Desert Hills High School will be on your left, past the middle school.

Map

Parking

There is a parking lot directly in front of the school. Enter Desert Hills High School through the Main entrance on the North side of the building.

Accessibility

Desert Hills High School has ramps and wheelchair access. Accessible parking is available in the parking lot. There is also drive-through access for loading and unloading.

We believe that the Symphony is something that should be available to everyone. If you have a specific need or question please reach out to us at symphony@swsutah.org

What to expect

If this is your first experience with a live symphony orchestra, welcome! We invite you to enjoy yourself! You may recognize some songs, and others may be new to you. You may discover some new favorites. Classical music has influenced so much of our music and culture today that you may be surprised at how much it resonates with you. We encourage you to watch the musicians and Maestro Darger and how they interact and connect with the music. A live performance allows you to hear and see the music as well as feel it in a new way. We hope attending the symphony is a delightful experience and one of many to come!

What to Wear

We want you to feel welcome and comfortable when attending the symphony. There is no dress code expected to attend. While you may see everything from jeans to formal attire, most people will wear business or slightly dressy casual clothes.

When to Applaud

One of the biggest questions of new symphony goers is, "When do I clap?" There may be varying opinions on when to applaud. Please, do not let the fear of clapping at the "wrong" time stop you from enjoying the concert. There are likely many other first-time concertgoers in attendance, and every seasoned attendee was in your shoes at some point.

Generally, there are two reasons to applaud during a Southwest Symphony concert. The first is to welcome musicians on stage, and the second is to show appreciation. The concert begins with the concertmaster entering the stage. The audience applauds as a welcome and a sign of gratitude to all the musicians. After the orchestra tunes, Maestro Darger and possibly guest artists will come onstage. The audience again applauds to welcome them. After that, tradition in the past 50 years dictates that you only applaud at the end of the last movement, which thus concludes the entire piece. During the concert, you can refer to your program to find out how many movements a piece has and the order in which the concert will be played. If you are still unsure when to applaud, it is always safe to wait and follow what the rest of the audience does.

A Note to More Seasoned Concertgoers

One of the joys of live classical music is sharing it with everyone! Please help others, especially those new to the Southwest Symphony, feel welcome by not correcting those who might clap out of place. Please be respectful and recognize that people are resonating with and responding positively to the music we all love so much. It has only been within the last 50 years that audiences stopped applauding between movements. Historically applause between movements and even during the music was not out of the norm.

Frequently Asked Questions

We are so excited that you plan on joining the Southwest Symphony. To make your trip a more memorable, we have put together this page of directions, dining, lodging, and any other information that might be helpful on your visit to St. George, UT.

Where can I purchase tickets?

Tickets can be purchased through the Utah Tech University Ticketing Office. While you can buy them in person or over the phone we recommend purchasing them online as the box office has limited hours. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM.

Can I purchase season tickets?

At the beginning of each season we offer patrons the opportunity to become part of our Crescendo Club which provides each member with season tickets. This is the best price for all of our concerts and the only way to get season tickets. This is usually available mid-summer through September.

What is your ticketing policy concerning refunds and exchanges?

Trust us, you won't want to miss out on our performances.

We believe that the Symphony is something that should be available to everyone. If you have a specific need or question please reach out to us at symphony@swsutah.org

Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.

Season Sponsors

The Southwest Symphony gratefully recognizes the generous support of our donors, who realize the immense value that music holds for us all.