They took their instruments with them.
"I was signing up for tickets for a tour of the brewery on the website, and there was something that said 'Perform at the brewery!' " said concertmaster David Kim. "They had a YouTube clip of some high school band . . . so I wrote and said, 'Hey! We're the Philadelphia Orchestra. We'd like to try and play there.' And they said, 'We'd be delighted to have you!' "
On Monday afternoon, Kim led a quartet consisting of himself, violinist Daniel Han, violist Anna Marie Ahn Petersen, and cellist Yumi Kendall into the top level of the brewery, known as the Gravity Bar, where visitors enjoy pints of Guinness and panoramic views of Dublin. They played the first and last movements of Schubert's String Quartet No. 14 ("Death and the Maiden").
At this venue, the Fabulous Philadelphians probably weren't on anybody's radar as they launched into the lively first movements of this most beloved of Schubert's string quartets. But within moments the crowd had quieted - some people looking entranced, others setting aside their harp-emblazoned glasses to take pictures of the unusual sight.
"This takes a little bit more concentration, I have to say," cellist Kendall observed. "And in the quality of the playing, everything is up a decibel level."
Their official hosts were pleased. "We've had a lot of quartets. Last year we had a quartet from, oh, some part of Sweden," said Teresa Tuite, the bar's manager, before rhapsodizing, "It's beautiful. I love it!"
She turned to one of the players and asked, "Did you like the bar here? You need a pint now - to get ready for tonight!"
