Berlin was such a whirlwind it's hard to know where to begin! Our last night in Berlin might have been the highlight of my trip so far. Gustavo Dudamel conducted Stravinsky's Petrushka and Rite of Spring in the Philharmonie with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra. The energy of the orchestra was incomparable, especially in the Rite of Spring. Dudamel seemed subdued in the first half of the concert, but by the second he brought all he had! I could tell the players were extremely invested in the music and their conductor, and they were enjoying themselves as they played. Their performance drew in the entire audience, and we kept applauding for so long they did two encores! The first encore was the finale from the Firebird suite. This piece was especially moving for me, since in high school the wind ensemble and orchestra combined played it and I played the opening horn solo on euphonium. That was one of the last things I played with orchestra and wind ensemble in high school and that piece always brings up good memories. As soon as the opening chords sounded and the horn solo started, I teared up- Dudamel brought so much emotion and passion to his performance it was contagious in the hall! The end of the finale was so grand and impressive I had a full body chill for the entire last note. I couldn't even stay standing for the standing ovation, I actually fell back into my chair the performance was so amazing!
Seeing Dudamel live was an unforgettable experience I hope I can always look back on for inspiration. Up next: Prague!
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