When the Los Angeles Philharmonic was gearing up for a tour of Asia, I suggested to KPCC's arts show The Frame that they send me along. Both the station and the orchestra were receptive to the idea, and I spent a week in Japan filing a series of stories about two very different groups of visiting musicians. One was the Philharmonic, which played two sold-out concerts in Tokyo. The other was a contingent of teenage members of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) which visited Japan's devastated Fukushima region to perform with a local youth orchestra. This series aired on KPCC in 2015.
The Phil Gets Packing
How do you get your tuba to Tokyo?
Next Stop, Fukushima
On the plane with the kids from YOLA.
"Welcome to Soma"
International diplomacy, youth-orchestra style.
The Conductor Wore Tennis Shoes
In which two youth orchestras travel to Tokyo for a rehearsal with LA Philharmonic music director Gustavo Dudamel.
The Joys of Jet Lag
The challenges of taking a major American orchestra on the road.