Pittsburgh Symphony 2008 Tour of Europe

Mists and soft winter greens greet Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra members as they leave the hotel for their first rehearsal on the orchestra’s 250 Ambassador Tour. The first city on tour is Pamplona, a city rich with history dating from 75 B.C., when it was founded by the Roman general Pompeii. The city is filled with lovely parks.

The city's strategic importance caused many fortifications to be built around the city. Examples still exist from several eras, Roman stonework co-existing today with walls and moats of later times.

Looming behind one of the many high fortifications is the hall, appropriately named “Baluarte”, Spanish for “bastion”. Its façade is a smooth surface of dark grey.

The building’s exterior possesses dramatic corner angles…

…and a massive presence around the interior courtyard.

The stage door is on Avenida Chinchilla facing a row of baroque residence buildings, the two architectural styles a study in contrast.

The inside of Baluarte is just as dramatic.

The hall’s backstage area is full of PSO instrument trunks, a comforting and familiar sight to members of the orchestra amidst the architectural drama. Here the contrabassoon case awaits its owner.

Music for tonight’s concert is already on the stand. Librarian Joann Vosburgh arrives at the hall early to distribute music ahead of the arrival of the musicians.

While the instrument is not in use the Bass Clarinet’s mouthpiece and reed sit under a protective metal cap at the end of the instrument’s crook. The length of the crook is slightly adjustable, enabling the pitch of the instrument to be nudged up or down.

Concertmaster Andrés Cárdenes greets former PSO violinist Daniel Nodel, who now works in Europe. Nodel will serve as a substitute player in the first violin section on this tour.

Neal Berntsen plays onstage, the auditorium in the background. The hall is a serene design, lined with smooth, light wood.

PSO Resident Conductor Larry Loh smiles for the camera

Violist Penny Brill smiles as she looks over music for tonight’s concert. The pad covering her chinrest is made of special foam, designed to reduce the skin irritation which violinists and violists tend to develop after long hours of playing.

Cynthia Busch’s face is a picture of concentration as she practices her viola onstage. The handkerchief which she has placed over her chinrest is an alternative to the covering Penny Brill uses.

Cellist Charlotta Ross jokes with photographer Chuck Lirette.

Violist Paul Silver smiles as he chats with a colleague.

Percussionist Andrew Reamer reads peacefully as he waits on stage for the rehearsal to begin.

And finally the orchestra is assembled for their first rehearsal on this tour. At precisely 10:00am the orchestra will tune, and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos will begin work with the orchestra, touching up all the repertoire which will be played for audiences in Spain over the next 6 days.