The Australian Youth Orchestra was left stranded in Berlin when thunderstorms led to cancelled flights in Germany. The delay meant the orchestra was unable to reach Redefin in time for their scheduled performance with French pianist Hélène Grimaud. The orchestra was set to perform Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony and Brahms’ First Piano Concerto, with Manfred Honeck conducting, as part of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern festival.

When it became clear the orchestra wouldn’t make it, cellist Jan Vogler was called in. Vogler and Grimaud have performed together on a number of occasions – their album Dichterliebe was released in 2013 – and they presented a concert of chamber music to the sell-out crowd. Audience members disappointed to miss out on the orchestral concert were offered a refund.

“The tour road was a little bumpy today as cancelled flights, thunderstorms and other circumstances in Germany kept us from reaching Redefin in time for our third European concert,” the AYO wrote on their Facebook page. “Over the last 18 hours AYO management worked relentlessly with Keynote Artist Management and with assistance from the staff at the Australian Embassy in Berlin to secure alternate transport, which turned out to be no mean feat. Members of the AYO handled...