Igor Grobman, Steven Schwartz, and Don Satz have commented on the
reasonably healthy classical music scene in Ohio, with some special
emphasis on the city of Columbus.

This is of interest to me, since I spent my high school/college (and some
post-graduate) years in and around Columbus.  I remember fondly being able
to attend a full season of concerts by the Columbus Symphony for the
student price of little more than $1 a ticket on a subscription basis,
while there were also many subscription and free concerts at both Ohio
State and Capital Universities.  I heard my first performance of Mahler's
"Resurrection" Symphony in a free concert by the OSU Symphony and Chorus
some 20 years ago.  Even with the (relatively)undernourished string
section, the effect it had on me was stunning, and could hardly have been
moreso if I had paid $50 for the ticket.

All of which helps to counteract some of my other memories of Columbus:
the time in high school where I was almost assaulted for having some
library recordings of Baroque music in hand ("You listen to that stuff?
What a dork!").  The performance that Karel Husa conducted with the
Columbus Symphony of his "Music for Prague (1968)", which the local hick
newspaper critic panned for its dissonance--I figure the poor schmuck was
expecting something more like a Slavonic Dance, or The Moldau.  And
finally, the fact that many (though not all) of my fellow students felt
that classical music was OK only if played by the OSU Marching Band.

Bill H., ex-Buckeye