Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Principal Bassoon Daniel Matsukawa warms up in the seats of the Philharmonie Luxembourg for the first rehearsal of the tour. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Stephan Gehmacher, general director of the Philharmonie Luxembourg, welcomes Yannick and the Orchestra prior to the rehearsal. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Yannick started the rehearsal with Rachmaninoff’s First Symphony. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: A unique vantage point, only obtainable during a rehearsal. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Stage Personnel Manager Dennis Moore moves the harp between pieces while Co-Principal Trombone Matthew Vaughn looks on. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Flutist Olivia Staton confers with Yannick during a break in the rehearsal. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Macarons from Ladurée for the musicians and staff from Yannick and his husband, Pierre Tourville. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Yannick and pianist Daniil Trifonov during the rehearsal. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: The stage crew (l to r: Chip O’Shea, Dennis Moore, Brenton Ogle, and Aaron Wilson) take a coffee break following the rehearsal.
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Assistant Principal Second Violin Dara Morales arrives at the Philharmonie for the first concert. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Principal Harp Elizabeth Hainen warms up on stage. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Yannick grabs a tambourine to entertain people backstage before the concert, including Artistic Administrator Makiko Freeman (left) and Principal Librarian Nicole Jordan (right). Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: The all-Rachmaninoff concert opened with the Vocalise. Originally composed as a wordless song, it was orchestrated by Rachmaninoff in 1916. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Trifonov joins the Orchestra for Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: The bass and cello sections during the Rhapsody. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: An acknowledgement of the rapturous applause. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: The second half of the concert featured the First Symphony. The work was a disaster at its premiere performances in Moscow in 1897, partly due to terrible conducting by the composer and teacher Alexander Glazunov. The response thrust Rachmaninoff into a deep depression, and for three years he was unable to compose. When he left Russia following the Russian Revolution in 1917, the score was left behind and the orchestral parts were discovered at the St. Petersburg Conservatory two years after Rachmaninoff’s death. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: The Orchestra in the Philharmonie. The hall’s organ was inaugurated in 2005, which is commemorated in the wood outlining the pipes on the back wall. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: A fan presents flowers to Yannick following the performance. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Backstage after the concert, Yannick poses with (l to r) Shalom Konstantino, public affairs strategist, Office of Planning and Events in the Bureau of Global Public Affairs and husband of Mike Konstantino; Stephan Gehmacher; Mike Konstantino, Chargé d’Affairs, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, Luxembourg; Chief Artistic Production Officer Tanya Derksen; and First Associate Concertmaster Juliette Kang. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Yannick stumbles upon Principal Viola Choong-Jin Chang and violist Marvin Moon at Brasserie Guillaume following the concert. Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Oct. 27, Luxembourg: Members of the trumpet and trombone sections met with their colleagues in the Luxembourg Philharmonic for dinner after the concert.