Hey,
I was recently in Denver with my school band for a band trip and we went to a symphony.  I was obviously observing the percussion area very closely to see how it all works with the style of music, and I watched and listened but picked up an extra 'noise.'  I was hearing a hi-hat chick throughout the whole show, yet I saw noone playing any cymbal what so ever.  So does anyone know if symphonys sometimes use audible click tracks live?  Or am I just blind and missed someone playing the cymbal?  Thanks.
-matt-

I can't imagine it either.  If it was a rehearsal MAYBE, but even then it would be very odd; and the piece would have to be a very steady one--like a Sousa march or somthing.

I used to loudly tap my foot, something that gets tricky when you're playing a tuning-heavy timpani piece. On timpani, I learned to click my heal, but sometimes it would register as audible noise in the crowd (because I was banging it against the base of the kettle drums). Maybe what you actually heard was a nervous drummer like me ...

Somebody in the orchestra may have left their metronome on! LOL  There's a chance that the conductor used a metronome to get the tempo, but failed to turn it off or mute the sound.

Orchestra's do use click tracks when playing to film and/or other multimedia ... because of synchronization issues.

I've done some of this in the past, where only the conductor has the click ... and situations where the conductor, concert master, lead (first chair) players in each section of the orchestra have the click; everyone else just follows them, which is what's supposed to happen even when not playing with a click.

I would be surprised if an orchestra used a click throughout for general music performance ... unless it's a Pops concert. I've had nightmares with a conductor having "artist license" with the tempos during a Pops concert ... and I'm back there on a drumkit playing time (subdividing the beat no doubt). Very interesting to hear the HiHat, playing eighth-notes or sixteenth-notes, changing from 100 bpm to 96 bpm, to 102 bpm ... and everywhere in between. Not good. I finally had to have a talk with the conductor, telling to count off the tune ... and then let ME drive the bus!    It worked!