Friday, May 21, 2004 - London, England
Although the Orchestra has performed in London many times, this was their first time at the Barbican since recent renovations to the hall improved the acoustics. Shouts and whistles accompanied the multiple curtain calls and encores. Apparently London audiences do not give standing ovations - at our concerts they either made an exception or those were all Americans standing at the end of two successful performances!
We teamed up again with PCVB in London where they brought a large group to the Saturday evening concert and held a post-concert reception in the fourth floor Conservatory at the Barbican. Maestro Eschenbach graciously spoke to the assembled group, which included the dozen or so people on the Orchestra's Patrons' Tour. Another Philadelphia connection was made when cellist Bob Cafaro met and spoke with a group of University of Pennsylvania alumni before the concert on Saturday evening.
We have been extremely fortunate with weather. There have been one or two cold, gray days and a few sprinkles here and there but by and large we have been blessed with sunny days, and everywhere people have been out strolling along, enjoying spring. It wasn't difficult to find side activities in London where people went off to Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's, and the bridges along the Thames. Shopping at Harrods and high tea also had a place on some itineraries.
One of the highlights was a jazz jam session that took place in the lounge at the hotel after the Orchestra's first performance, with Adam Unsworth, horn; Ranaan Meyer, double bass; and Dan Kluger (son of Orchestra President Joe Kluger), piano. Not only did other Orchestra musicians enjoy the performance, which lasted until 2:00 a.m., but so did the rest of the patrons in the lounge.
On tour there are
always moments of culture shock. In Paris there are police patrolling
on rollerblades. Crossing streets in London you find yourself looking
both ways, several times, before venturing across because you're not really
sure from which direction the traffic is coming. In Amsterdam you must
look not just for cars before crossing the street but also for bicycles,
of which there are many more than autos. Smart cars, tiny cars about half
the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, are everywhere (and coming soon to the
US) and even regular cars are much smaller than those in the US. And then
there are the moments that make you feel at home - running into a musician
while shopping in the pharmacy, the ever-present Starbucks, and hearing
the familiar strains of a clarinet or violin wafting down the hallway,
a sound I am so used to it is with a shock that I realize I am hearing
it in a hotel in Germany!
Katherine Blodgett,
Director of Public/Media Relations
Orchestra
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