City News

Musicians of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra are being forced to take extra precautions to protect themselves and their instruments from current freezing conditions.

The precious instruments played by the world-class musicians of the CBSO all pose their own challenges when temperatures plummet below freezing. I order to maintain the Orchestra’s high sound quality takes a great deal of effort from a whole team of people, from the CBSO’s Operations team to the individual musicians.
CBSO Platform Manager Peter Hill explains: “The problem lies mainly with changes in temperature - going from warm concert halls to freezing temperatures outside.  This can cause woodwind instruments to crack and pegs on violins to slip leading to tuning problems.”
“We have to ensure that the CBSO’s specially designed Keltruck lorry which transports the instruments is warmed to a similar temperature as the concert halls in which the Orchestra are performing and ready to go immediately at the end of the performance. On cold snowy days we also have to hurry to get the instruments moved from the stage and onto the lorry - which isn’t always easy when it’s slippery underfoot and you’re trying to carry a double bass!”
CBSO violinist Julia Beisswanger said: “As professional musicians we’re always very protective of our instruments as their quality is an essential factor in our success as individual performers and as a world class Orchestra.”
“Mind you,” she adds, “we’re luckier these days with synthetic strings as opposed to the pure gut strings that the musicians in the baroque era had to cope with… My specialist baroque violin is affected greatly by the temperature change.  Sometimes even going from the rehearsal room into the hall causes tuning problems!”
And it isn’t just instruments that are an issue in the cold weather. CBSO Principal Tuba, Graham Sibley explains the physical issues faced brass players: “The cold weather causes the lips to swell and be unresponsive - it's a bit like playing after you've had a mild anaesthetic at the dentist!  Also, we have to be careful that they don't chap or dry out and split, which is even worse.... As a result, we are all constantly using 'chop saving' lip salve to help prevent this, as well putting a scarf around our face to keep facial muscles warm.”
For professional musicians, the show must go on. Judge for yourself how well the CBSO cope with the cold in forthcoming January concerts:  Brahms and Sibelius on 13th & 14th at Symphony Hall, Birmingham and 15 January at Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury. Also at Symphony Hall Elgar’s Enigma Variations on 20th & 23rd Strauss’ Alpine Symphony on 28th   Tickets can be booked by calling Symphony Hall Box Office on: 0121 780 3333 or online at www.cbso.co.uk or for Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury call: 01743 281281