11/15/2008

	Greg Matthew

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has returned to Israel, but leaves behind a memorable US tour.

From November 15-24, 2008 the Orchestra played in Newark’s New Jersey Performing Art Center, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Washington, DC’s Kennedy Center and Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center - then flew to the West Coast for three more concerts, with the final performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

The tour was a bit like traveling with a rock star, said Peter Marck, IPO bass player. In every city, sold out audiences were eager to witness the Dudamel magic. At each performance the back stage was full of young people waiting to say hello to Gustavo or sit with him in his dressing room. Magic is really the right word and the Orchestra loved it! Dudamel inspired the Orchestra and infected the audiences with his black hair flying, his dancing on the podium and his limitless energy. Every concert, whether it included Bernstein, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn or Brahms, ended in the cheering audience jumping to its feel. Music critics were hungry for the chance to write about the young maestro and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra achieved, not only an artistic victory, but had the opportunity to revel in the publicity of the budding “super-star.”

At the conclusion of the Carnegie Hall performance, Dudamel showed off his Latin roots with “Tico Tico” as a final encore. The audience “tried” to clap in time with the Orchestra, but Dudamel saved the day by conducting them instead of the musicians!

Below are links to the reviews they received during this tour:

New York New York Times

Washington, DC Washington Post

Philadelphia Philadelphia Inquirer

Costa Mesa LA Times (review of Orange County performance) and The Orange County Register

Los Angeles The Los Angeles Times

To view photos from the tour, click here.