On a busy tour, it’s not often two US orchestras overlap in any particular city, but here in Hamburg we’ve been able to get together with musicians from the Cleveland Orchestra. Members of both low brass sections gathered for lunch: (l to r) Cleveland Principal Trombone Brian Wendel; New York Philharmonic trombone player, and Philadelphia substitute, David Finlayson; Philadelphia Principal Trombone Nitzan Haroz; Cleveland trombone player Richard Stout; Philadelphia tuba substitute David Zerkel; Philadelphia bass trombone player Blair Bollinger; and Philadelphia Co-Principal Trombone Matthew Vaughn.
Principal Percussion Christopher Deviney joined musicians from both orchestras for a tour of Hamburg harbor. In the background is the Elbphilharmonie: (l to r) Cleveland percussionist Thomas Sherwood; Cleveland Principal Timpani Paul Yancich; Cleveland Principal Percussion Marc Damoulakis; Cleveland percussion substitute from the Detroit Symphony Jay Ritchie; Philadelphia percussion substitute Joe Desotelle; and Christopher Deviney.
Principal Oboe Philippe Tondre meets up for a beer with Cleveland Orchestra Assistant Principal Oboe Jeffrey Rathbun.
Principal Trumpet David Bilger, an amateur photographer, did a bit of sightseeing, including the Speicherstadt or warehouse district. This famous vantage point is from the Poggenmühlenbrücke, with the Elbphilharmonie just peeking out in the background. Photo by David Bilger
St. Catherine’s Church, one of five principal Lutheran churches in Hamburg, taken from the warehouse district. The base of its spire, dating from the 13th century, is the second oldest building preserved in the city. Photo by David Bilger
Delicious fruit at a local market. Photo by David Bilger
There was a bit of free time before musicians needed to be at the Elbphilharmonie for the Orchestra’s second concert. Violist Marvin Moon met up with his good friend Amy Lee, the Cleveland Orchestra’s associate concertmaster, to do a little shopping for their families. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Violinist Daniel Han had lunch with Rachel Jones, who works for Askonas Holt, the Orchestra’s tour agent. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Even while on an international tour, the work back home doesn’t stop. Flutist Olivia Staton gives a lesson to one of her students over Zoom from her hotel room. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Jason Chue, consul general at the US Consulate in Hamburg, hosted a reception at his residence for the Orchestra. Here he greets Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc., Board Co-Chair Ralph Muller and his wife, Beth Johnston Muller. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Jason Chue welcomes Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc., President and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky to the reception. This event was his first cultural highlight in Hamburg after taking on his role as consul general. He also attended that evening’s concert. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Philadelphia Orchestra superfan Jochen Christensen and his son, Christoph (second and third from right), meet several Orchestra musicians. Jochen and his late brother, Olaf, first heard the Orchestra during Eugene Ormandy’s tenure and never missed an opportunity to attend a concert whenever they toured in Europe, and even traveled to Philadelphia to hear the ensemble. Olaf also presented performances by the New Philadelphia Quartet in Germany. The Quartet was founded by retired Orchestra violinist Herbert Light. The four Orchestra members pictured here—(l to r) cellist Gloria dePasquale, violinist Barbara Govatos, cellist Robert Cafaro, and violinist Hirono Oka—were former members of the Quartet. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Backstage before the performance violinist Hirono Oka and Principal Second Violin Kimberly Fisher ask Yannick for some clarifying points, while Principal Librarian Nicole Jordan looks on. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Yannick is interviewed before the concert by the Elbphilharmonie. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Cellist Gloria dePasquale, who will retire from the Orchestra following this tour, chats with Yannick before the concert. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
The performance opened with the German premiere of selections from Orchestra Composer-in-Residence Gabriela Lena Frank’s Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout. Soprano Angel Blue then joined Yannick and the ensemble for Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
This concert was remarkable because three of the four works were written by female composers of color. Angel Blue performed the European premiere of Valerie Coleman’s This Is Not a Small Voice, after which she and Yannick take a bow. The work was commissioned by the Orchestra and premiered in Philadelphia this past February. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
The second half of the concert featured the Hamburg premiere of Florence Price’s First Symphony, which received a standing ovation. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
The hall was sold-out for this all-American program. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
The Orchestra has recorded Price’s First and Third symphonies for the Deutsche Grammophon label. The recording won the Orchestra, Yannick, and Florence Price their first GRAMMY Award, for Best Orchestral Performance. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Yannick asks the trumpets, trombones, and tuba to stand for a special shout-out after the Price. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Yannick waves to the crowd as he walks off the stage. He returned to lead the Orchestra in another work by Price, Adoration, as an encore. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Yannick greets Board Chair Ralph Muller and his wife, Beth Johnston Muller, after the concert. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Grabbing a light snack and a drink after the performance are violinist William Polk, Assistant Concertmaster Marc Rovetti, and Assistant Principal Viola Kerri Ryan. Photo by Todd Rosenberg