Pittsburgh Symphony Tours of Asia & Europe Provide Valuable Economic Development Opportunities

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of its new music director, Manfred Honeck, is currently touring in Asia, and will tour in Europe later in the year.

PSO tours have become a major economic development opportunity for the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, the marketing affiliate of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, which joined the PSO on the Asia tour, and will do the same on the European tours.

Past PSO tours have led to connections with several companies that have located operations in the Pittsburgh area.

“Recent PRA successes in partnering with the PSO, a world-class cultural icon of the region, have demonstrated the ability of the PSO to open doors to international audiences of business leaders and influencers," the PRA stated. "This partnership with the PSO is an important part of the PRA’s long-term, multi-year Opportunity Asia and Opportunity Europe strategies. These aim to unlock business opportunities abroad for Pittsburgh region companies; to expand bilateral trade; and to position the Pittsburgh region as a preferred US investment destination."

The tour to Asia includes performances in Beijing and Shanghai, China and Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The tour is the Orchestra’s first international tour with Honeck at the helm. The National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing – also known as "The Egg" – was the site for two concerts on May 14-15.

A concert on May 16 at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center marked the Orchestra’s Shanghai debut. The Orchestra also makes its debut in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Kaohsiung will host the 2009 World Games in July, and the PSO has been invited to open the World Games Stadium with a concert on May 20.

Later in the year, Honeck and the PSO make their European debut together in performances to close the renowned Lucerne Festival in Switzerland in September. Also part of this trip are two concerts in Germany – one at the Philharmonie Essen and one at the Beethoven Festival in Bonn.

During the 2009-2010 season, Honeck leads the Orchestra in a one-night only concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist on February 9, 2010. A tour of Europe, including performances at Vienna’s Musikverein, is currently being planned for later in 2010.

This is the PSO’s first performance in Beijing since 1987, its only prior performance on mainland China.

Read an article about the PSO Tour at http://postgazette.com/pg/09138/970868-388.stm