But they are not always what they seem.
The Dublin Philharmonic that played two years ago in nearly 50 towns? Mostly Bulgarians. The Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra that toured the United States last year? Largely freelancers. The “Tschaikowski” St. Petersburg State Orchestra, which is scheduled for a major American tour next year? Even the man advertised as its principal guest conductor said he had never heard of it.
A close look at these groups shows a pattern of creative marketing — even truth shading — concerning credentials and identities. At the least, audiences often do not know what they are getting, even though visa regulations require the groups to be “recognized internationally as outstanding” and to have had three-quarters of the same players for at least a year. Many of these groups are in fact pickup ensembles or have little reputation, even in their home countries.
A major force in bringing in these orchestras is Columbia Artists Management Inc., one of the oldest and most prestigious classical music agencies. Its clients have included Vladimir Horowitz, Jascha Heifetz and Herbert von Karajan.
The Columbia Artists executive behind many such tours is a senior vice president, Andrew S. Grossman, who acts as the tour producer. Mr. Grossman, 62, is an influential figure in the classical music business, as well as a lightning rod for strong emotions.
Former colleagues, competitors and contractors call him a shrewd businessman, both brilliant and capable of great charm, who can ride his employees hard. These people also pointed to what appears to be a pattern of misleading publicity photos, altered program biographies and last-minute substitutions.
Mr. Grossman did not respond to requests for comment. In a telephone interview, Ronald A. Wilford, Columbia’s chairman, denied that misrepresentations had occurred, saying that the agency relied on the orchestras it brings in for information about their musicians. He defended Mr. Grossman, calling him a tough man in a hard business.
“He knows how to do it better than everyone,” Mr. Wilford said.
“We haven’t been dishonest that I’m aware of,” he said. Orchestras typically have shifting personnel in a world of musicians who easily cross borders, he added.
“It’s a little bit of a na?ve position to take that there couldn’t be international players in an orchestra,” he said. “All of this is quite silly. We bring institutions that are fully formed.”
But more important, the agency argued, the orchestras provide live classical music at affordable cost to small cities and towns spurned by the major orchestras. “We go to these communities that very much want this and are also struggling with the economic realities,” said Tim Fox, the president of Columbia Artists Management. “It should be a celebration.”
The local concert presenters like the cachet of foreign names and the small price tags, which are on average less than half of the fees of major international orchestras, like the Vienna Philharmonic or the London Symphony. Those fees can top $100,000 a concert.
And it is true that an orchestra’s makeup is not necessarily a comment on quality. The “Dubliners” received good reviews from critics and presenters two years ago, although the Moscow orchestra, as heard last year at a performance in the Bronx, would have had trouble matching up to a midlevel conservatory orchestra.
Eric Amada, a former Columbia employee who now runs Arts Management Associates, a booking agency and sometime rival, said, “Most of these presenters are completely fooled,” and so, by extension, are their audiences. “It’s just like, ‘Teflon Andrew.’?”
While smaller, lesser-known foreign orchestras can make important contributions to local cultural life, they also bring surprises.
Michael Schwirtz provided reporting from Moscow, and Kathryn Shattuck provided research assistance from New York.
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