- The Washington Times - Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Stranded passengers aboard a delayed Alaska Airlines flight at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport got a pleasant surprise Sunday when members of the Grammy award-winning Seattle Symphony reportedly broke out their instruments for an impromptu performance.

Passenger Addie Bogart, who posted a video of the performance on Facebook that was later shared by Alaska Airlines, said their plane to Palm Springs was delayed due to a small issue with the air conditioning and pressurization, a local NBC affiliate reported.

“We were lucky to be sitting amongst a string quartet who broke out their instruments and played for us,” she told the station.



Ms. Bogart said the quartet — violinists Mikhail Shmidt and Elisa Barston, violist Susan Gulkis Assadi and cellest Walter Gray — was on their way to Palm Springs to play at two benefit concerts.

“[It] made everyone’s night!” she told the station. “It almost made us forget we were two hours late to Palm Springs.”

The Seattle Symphony won a Grammy Award on Sunday for best contemporary classical composition.

• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.

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