Pandemic Uproots Philadelphia Orchestra Summer Travel Plans

This season, millions of individual trips were scratched and thousands of group journeys were called off, but when the Philadelphia Orchestra and its Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin cancelled its annual summer jaunts to Saratoga, NY and Vail, CO, it meant revoking hundreds of train and plane tickets, specialized cargo trips for instruments—try moving a 17th century cello valued at seven figures—and thousands of hotels, rentals and restaurant reservations.

Travel, domestic and international, has become an intricate part of the life of American orchestras, but who knew that the Philadelphia Orchestra launched its first tour just two years after it was founded, in 1900? Since then, it often carries the flag of its city but also the American flag. Indeed, it was the first American orchestra to perform in China.

Want a few numbers? During the 2018 Europe/Israel tour, 125 employees traveled 13,000 miles taking 6 flights to perform 11 concerts in 9 cities over 13 days. They carried 18.7 tons of cargo and performed for 16,000 audience members.

After only one week on the job last fall, Vice President Artistic Production Tanya Derksen found herself part of a touring party that included about 150 travelers (musicians, guests, staff members and stagehands) on her way to Taiwan, Japan and Korea.