Occasionally the uncertainties of travel deliver a welcome surprise. So it was in recent days for travellers on a Chinese flight from Beijing to Macao. It was stuck on the tarmac for three hours when members of the Philadelphia Orchestra organized an impromptu concert. The amateur video here shows this enchanting interlude. The orchestra’s nine member delegation was part of the 2013 Residency & Fortieth Anniversary Tour of China. It is 40 years since the Philadelphia Orchestra became the first American symphony to perform in China. Their visit was made possible by the historic diplomacy of Richard Nixon to the then-isolated land a few months earlier. This time a quartet of musicians decided to provide an on-board “pop up” performance. They played a selection from Dvorak’s “American” string quartet. Nixon incidentally is remembered fondly in China even today for his decision to reach out to the Communist government. Enjoy the concert. Don’t try to count the smartphones, cameras and blinking tablets etc. Video
