We're here!

Writing this after 12 and a half hours' sleep after umpteen hours on a plane and various other modes of transport, I feel quite transformed. Travelling like this and being nearly 28 weeks pregnant has proved challenging to say the least. Patience is not something I possess much of at this point, so one can imagine how gracious I was feeling at the tail end of the trip... Anyway, with that behind us sleep was high on the list of priorities. And decent food of course. Last night most of the Orchestra found the restaurant with perhaps the only English- speaking waittress and enjoyed various tapas dishes, and for the less adventurous of us, steak and chips...

We have our free day today in Castellon, which is basically quite industrial, though with a quite typically European centre with tapas bars/cafes and cobbled streets containing very narrow stores full of fashion, lots of baby clothes (!) and designer sunglasses. Unfortunately with today being Sunday, absolutely nothing is open (just like Melbourne in the good old days) so we are forced to either take it easy or to hop on a train to Valencia.

I´m looking forward to tomorrow's rehearsal to get this tour really happening, and to give our first concert here in Castellon. It´s always exciting to play a new venue and to see how our sound is transformed in various ways, to enjoy it and to experience new challenges with shortcomings and also to luxuriate in the advantages of older halls.

Until next time,
Sylvia (double bass)

MSO in transit

After 30 hours in transit, we´ve finally made it to Castellon, the first stop on our European tour. Getting on the bus at ABC Southbank feels like a distance memory now with many inflight meals and movies in-between. After a couple of hours stopover in Singapore stretching our legs, we flew to Milan where we had another hour on the ground. This time we weren´t allowed off the plane. A weary musician, Andrew Weiss cheekily asked our travelling Doctor,

¨Hey Stephen, do you have any pills to make the hour go forward?¨

Stephen quickly replied, ¨I´m not Dr Who, I´m Dr Hook!¨

Our journey finished with a three hour bus ride, down south through the Spanish countryside. As we passed the olive and orange (yes, the real Valencia ones!) groves, the sight of our hotel was a welcome one, and sigh... a hot shower!

Winter coat

40 degrees this weekend in Melbourne, and I find myself heading to the dry-cleaner's to collect my winter coat! The first possible laundry day is in Paris so I have to pack twelve changes of clothing, and I must confess that I have absolutely no idea whether it is all going to fit in my suitcase. I reckon it will, but it'll be a close-run thing. I am really looking forward to the plane trip tomorrow as a) I love aeroplanes and b) it'll give me time to go through the phrasebook. Although there is no force in heaven or on earth that is going to make my French pronunciation sound classy.

Finally!

I am looking forward to the plane. We have been busy preparing for this tour for months. First we prepared and performed all the repertoire last year during various concerts. Then in November and December we had to fill in around 7,528 forms (maybe more) for visa applications, insurance information, personal details, hotel and dietary requirements, etc. We had to finalise if we planned to park at the studio during the tour and precisely which instrument was to be taken (and all various and sundry accessories) before Christmas. Each instrument was carefully packed, then measured and weighed and documented for all the customs requirements. Then back at work this year for four days of serious rehearsals. Usually we rehearse one program for four days. This time we rehearsed three and a half programs. All the programs are full of challenges. It was a very strenuous beginning to the year! Now a couple days off to pack everything and get ready for the long flight. I am looking forward to just sitting still for a while on the plane!

Where are the lights?

What a day for a power outage in Southbank! The MSO's production team were busily packing the freight for Europe when the lights went off. Luckily a backup generator located somewhere in the ABC building kicked in, so there's light in the Iwaki Auditorium, but not in every part of the building. Fortunately the packing continues...as the freight leaves tonight!

Last rehearsal before the Tour

Today is the last day of rehearsals before the MSO jets off on Friday for the start of our second European tour. There's a real buzz amongst the Orchestra and staff. After months of preparation, the tour is now a reality as tickets, luggage tags and itineraries have been handed out. Before the last note fades away at the end of today's rehearsal, our production crew will start packing the freight for tonight's flight in the wee small hours. From violins to timpani, the instruments will be securely packed into hard-sided, padded road cases on wheels which are loaded onto the plane and anchored down. Our freight also contains musicians' concert dress, music stands, chairs, conductor's podium as well as production, artist and marketing requirements including gaffer tape, irons and MSO signage. Everything an Orchestra needs on Tour!

Caetani arrives

It's a lighting trip to Australia for the MSO's Chief Conductor and Artistic Director Oleg Caetani. He arrived in Melbourne at 2am this morning and by 10am was already in rehearsal with the Orchestra. He's in town until Tuesday for the last set of rehearsals before the MSO departs on Friday 19 January for Spain - the first leg of our European tour!