Have you ever wondered what it’s like to travel the world touring with a symphony orchestra? Jet-setting from New York to LA, hopping from London to Paris and then on to Rome and Madrid. Maybe a few days in Tokyo before flying to Shanghai and finishing in Sydney. Ah yes, it’s a glamorous life……or is it?
What is it Actually Like to Tour With a Symphony Orchestra?
I was very fortunate to have spent 23 years as a member of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. During those years I did all of the above and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it; well mostly.
I recall that my very first ever tour got off to a rocky start. We were scheduled to fly from Gatwick Airport to Athens, Greece for a short tour of only three or four days. For those not familiar with the geography of the UK, Gatwick Airport is about one hour south of London. It was an early check-in around 8 am. Of course, that meant leaving the house at 6:30, so an alarm was set for 5:30.
I set off, picking up two colleagues en route, and we arrived in plenty of time, excited for the day ahead. We were met at the check-in desk by the orchestral manager who informed us that there was an issue with the plane. The airline was able to offer us another plane, but it was at a different airport: Luton! Again, for those unfamiliar with the location, Luton Airport is one hour north of London; only about thirty minutes from my house at the time. Buses were hastily arranged to take us from Gatwick to Luton. We loaded up and hit the road.
We got to Luton, boarded the plane and made our way to Athens. Of course, we were now about six hours behind schedule. There was no time for lunch, no time for afternoon rehearsal, and no time for dinner. In fact, we barely made the concert at all. Like true professionals, however, the show must go on. Fortunately, it was fairly standard repertoire, and finally sitting on stage that night was probably the most relaxed I’d been all day. As I was a new member of the orchestra, and it was my first tour, a colleague commented that it was indeed a baptism of fire.
Back On the Road Again
It wasn’t long before we were on the road once more. Two weeks later, we were checking in again, this time for a tour of Japan. No hiccups this time with the travel arrangements, and we were soon on our way.
This was my first of what would turn out to be many trips to Japan during my career in London. My immediate first impression was how organized and efficient everything was, and how polite people were to us. Buses left on time, hotel rooms were ready, and you could literally set your watch by the Bullet Train.
Even in the concert hall, the audience’s response to our performance was new to me. In some countries, like Italy for example, you may well find audiences shouting and screaming “Bravo tutti” at the end of a concert. In Japan however, a warm round of applause was the norm. Food and drink was a new experience too. At the time, I had never sampled sushi or sake, and I certainly didn’t know my teriyaki from my yakisoba. Still, this learning experience was all part of life on the road.
Traveling Could Take its Toll
Traveling could take its toll though. I recall on one tour of Spain we visited six or seven different cities. These cities were spread across the whole country, and we had to fly via Madrid every single day!
Imagine, we had to check out early from our hotel, fly to Madrid, change planes and fly on to our next venue. Then, check in at another hotel before heading to the concert hall for a rehearsal and the concert in the evening. Repeat every day for a week! On this particular tour, many members of the orchestra decided to let off steam one night after the concert. Despite another early start the next morning we headed out for a late dinner and enjoyed perhaps a little too much Rioja and San Miguel. Needless to say, there were a few sore heads at the airport next day.
Our conductor on that tour was Mstislav Rostropovich, who also enjoyed the occasional libation. On recognizing our condition, he immediately went to the bar in the airport and bought up as many six packs of beer as he could carry. He distributed these to those in most need and encouraged everyone to partake. It sure helped the recovery process.
Difficult Times During Tour
When discussing what it’s like to tour with a symphony orchestra, it’s important to know that there are some difficult times on tour. The hardest to deal with is the death of an orchestra member while on the road and being thousands of miles from home. Tragically, I experienced this twice during my career with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. We are not just members of an orchestra, and we are not just colleagues. We are friends and, in a sense, family. At a very sad time, difficult decisions have to be made. Do we perform that night? Do we cancel the remainder of the tour? How do we repatriate the body? These are the times when everyone pulls together and shows the true character of a world class symphony orchestra.
The Good Times Outweigh the Bad
Thankfully, the good times heavily outweigh the bad. Yes, there are times when you have to check in to a different hotel every day for weeks on end. Stories abound of musicians getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom only to walk into a closet because that was where the bathroom was in the previous hotel.
There are days when you have to spend countless hours on a bus, traveling to the next city. Sometimes you may not even know what city you are in. Maybe it isn’t always that glamorous but, on the other hand, I’ve been fortunate enough to have performed in every major concert hall in the world, played for royalty, stayed in some of the finest hotels, and dined in many great restaurants. I’ve been able to grab some free time on beaches like Waikiki in Hawaii, Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, and Bondi in Sydney. I’ve been invited to grand receptions at embassies and consulates around the world. Perhaps there is a hint of glamour to this business after all.
Experiencing the World
Most importantly though, I believe that touring with a symphony orchestra gives you the opportunity to experience many different cultures around the globe. They say that travel broadens the mind, and I have no doubt that is true. I will always be grateful for these opportunities afforded to me. Now, you know a little of what it’s like to tour with a symphony orchestra, and I hope you all enjoy your future travels as much as I have.
Steve Merson