"We wish to honor those who contribute to promoting cultural diplomacy," said the Ambassador, "not only through excellence in their art, but also by bringing people together to celebrate common cultural values. The Ambassador's Award for Music Diplomacy is presented to the New York Philharmonic for sharing the best of American culture with our friends in Hungary and around the world."
The Philharmonic, under the baton of Music Director Lorin Maazel, began the eight-city, 14-concert tour on May 3 with a concert in Warsaw. Following the Budapest performances on May 4 and 5, the orchestra continues to Vienna (May 8-9), Frankfurt (May 10-11), Mannheim (May 12), Cologne (May 14-15), Paris (May 16), and Luxembourg (May 17-18). Soloists include violinist Julia Fischer, Philharmonic concertmaster Glenn Dicterow, Philharmonic principal cello Carter Brey and pianist Emanuel Ax. More information, along with a behind-the-scenes photo album, is available at http://nyphil.org/europe2007.
