2004 EUROPEAN TOUR

Christoph Eschenbach leads his first tour with The Philadelphia Orchestra

Concluding a critically acclaimed first season as music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra, Christoph Eschenbach leads his first tour with The Philadelphia Orchestra May 10-30, visiting France, Germany, Austria, England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, and Spain. Violinist Gil Shaham joins the Orchestra for six performances of Brahms's Violin Concerto.

"To bring The Philadelphia Orchestra to Europe for our first tour together gives me great pleasure," said Mr. Eschenbach. "My partnership with these world-renowned musicians is a joy and we look forward to sharing our musical experiences with new audiences around the world."

"As a cultural ambassador for the Philadelphia region, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States, The Philadelphia Orchestra is proud to tour for the first time with our new music director, Christoph Eschenbach," said Joseph H. Kluger, president of The Philadelphia Orchestra Association. "We are grateful to the sponsors whose help is so critical to the financing of these tours. We are also delighted to partner once again with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau in demonstrating to European audiences what a wonderful place Philadelphia is to visit and do business."

Orchestra violinist Dmitri Levin waves as he and other Orchestra members board a flight on a recent tour. On the 2004 European Tour, Maestro Eschenbach and the Orchestra present symphonic masterpieces associated with the Orchestra's 2004 Mahler Festival and five-year Mahler cycle: Mahler's Symphony No. 1, Schoenberg's Transfigured Night, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10. Mr. Eschenbach also continues the current season's focus on the music of Olivier Messiaen, presenting Les Offrandes oubliées paired with Bruckner's Symphony No. 7. Following his appearance with the Orchestra in April, guest violinist Gil Shaham joins the Orchestra for Brahms's Violin Concerto in Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Valencia.

In addition to orchestral performances, on May 12 artists of The Philadelphia Orchestra join with those of the Orchestre de Paris in an encore performance of a chamber concert presented in Philadelphia in November 2003. Maestro Eschenbach appears at the piano alongside artists of the Orchestre de Paris for American composer Tobias Picker's The Blue Hula, and conducts musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra in Tactus, by French composer Marc-André Dalbavie. Artists from the two orchestras perform together, at the close of the program, in Schubert's Octet in F major, D. 803.

The Philadelphia Orchestra has a long and distinguished touring history throughout the world. Through its tour concerts, recordings, and broadcasts, the Orchestra has generated interest and enthusiasm for symphonic music among tens of millions of people, while also carrying the name of Philadelphia across the globe. The 2004 European Tour marks The Philadelphia Orchestra's 27th tour outside North America and 14th visit to Europe. The Orchestra makes its first visits to Braunschweig and Valencia, as well as its first visit to Lisbon since 1970.

Corporate sponsorship for the 2004 European Tour includes funding from Isover for concerts in Amsterdam, Lisbon, Valencia, and Madrid and funding from Roizman Development, Inc., for sponsorship of Mr. Shaham's appearances. For the second time the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau partners with the Orchestra to provide publicity and promotional support in Europe.

During the tour, visit www.philorch.org/tour for updates