<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2716.2200" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <H2 class=StoryHead>Sprinkler Glitch Drenches Philadelphia = Orchestra</H2> <H3 class=StorySubhead><I>Instruments Damaged; Ensemble Scrambles To = Make Same-Day Concert</I></H3> <DIV class=StoryDateline>Posted: 2:48 p.m. EST December 3, = 2002<BR>Updated: 3:11 p.m. EST December 3, 2002<BR></DIV> <P><B>PHILADELPHIA</B> -- The Philadelphia Orchestra is used to being = showered with applause. But on Tuesday it was showered with water from the = fire-sprinkler system. <P>The sprinklers in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center suddenly turned = on Tuesday morning, drenching orchestra members and their instruments as = they rehearsed for the evening performance. <P>Orchestra officials say the show will go on. Building maintenance = crews are mopping up the water on stage and in the first couple of rows of seats = to try to get the hall in shape for Tuesday night's performance. <P>Orchestra president Joe Kluger said most of the musicians were able = to escape from the stage with their instruments. The damage to the instruments is = being assessed. <P><STRONG><EM>Kluger said the piano on stage got the worst of it. The = Steinway will have to replaced for the concert. Kluger said the piano will need = "a good bit of reconstruction work."</EM></STRONG> <P>Kimmel Center officials think a software glitch may have triggered = the deluge. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>