Last summer, the US-China Institute at USC asked if I’d be
interested in writing an article about the flourishing symphony in China. One interview led to another, and a story began to unravel
about a fascinating piece of U.S.-China history involving the Philadelphia
Orchestra.
In 1973, China--which had been closed off to the world for almost a
quarter of a century—allowed President Nixon to initiate some cultural
exchange: visits from ping-pong teams,
the U.S. Olympic Swim Team, two women’s college basketball teams, and, yes, the
Philadelphia Orchestra. This was a big deal, not only because China was
allowing foreigners into the country…but also because most Chinese had not
heard the likes of Beethoven for many years. The classics, too, had been
banned. This particular ‘73 concert is
remembered as a spark which ignited some long-dorment embers, and which
inspired the Chinese to become some of the greatest consumers and producers of
classical music.
I spoke with one of the few remaining musicians who took
part in that eventful trip, Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra violinist Davyd
Booth. At the time, the 23 year-old native of Clarksburg, West Virginia and
recent graduate of the New school of Music in Philadelphia, had just been hired.
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| Davyd Booth, Philadelphia Orchestra |
“I actually was not supposed to start with the orchestra until
after they came back from China. And then, not any more than two weeks before
(the musicians were to leave), I got a call from our personnel manager that somebody has
gotten ill….and they would like me to go… I didn’t even have a visa. Or a
passport. “
Davyd, who had never been overseas, was told not to worry
about documentation.
“Ormandy, our conductor at that point, was really a very
powerful person…He was very close friends with President Nixon.”
A passport soon materialized.
“I remember at the time it was such a very big deal for me--not
only starting my new job but then going to this country. At that time China was
almost like—it was like a totally different world. It was like going to Mars or
something.”
(To Be Continued. Next: A World Different From Anything You Could Imagine)
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