It’s official – the orchestra’s Asia Tour has been postponed. It was scheduled to take place in November 2007, with concerts in Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan. Now it looks like the tour will happen in the Fall of 2009.

Touring is an expensive proposition at the best of times. Just flying 65 musicians half-way around the world is pricey, plus there are costs for hotels, per diems, artist fees, ground transportation, cargo, marketing, education and outreach, staff travel, and lots of other smaller expenses.

On the revenue side, concert fees only make up a small portion of the amount required. We needed a lot of support from the private and public sectors to make up the shortfall, and we simply don’t have enough funding in place to go ahead.

Touring is probably the most exciting and demanding part of my job so I have mixed emotions about this decision. I was really looking forward to seeing Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, and the other cities – I guess I’ll just have to wait a little longer.

In the meantime, the Quebec Tour (Near East Tour?) is less than 8 weeks away. Chicoutimi, here we come…