ON A DINNER CRUISE

THE DOUBLE LIFE OF THE VIOLINIST : Practising at home and life on the road .

Life on the road is infinitely different from life at home for me as a violinist . Playing a series on concerts on the road is a totally different learning experience from my routined practise at home. .When i first went on tour it was strange to me that in violin playing everything you do at home is preparation for the concert and then when you have a chain of concerts I seem to forget about the preparation and trust the work has been done, instead focusing conserving my energy rather than having a routine practice.
For me it feels rather like hydrating yourself before playing a tennis match. You make sure you have enough fluids before you step on the court and during the match but by the end of the match you still need to rehyrdate.This is how a percieve a tour. I dont mean to say that this is a bad thing - both i think are important in my development as a violinist as one cannot function without the other....you learn to deal with so many other things on the road – the actual feeling of playing something on stage, coping with pressure, performing under stress and lack of sleep etc etc…. but when i come home I feel that technique or “violin gymnastic fitness” as I like to call it must be renewed afterwards.

LIST OF ESSENTIALS FOR THE ROAD

Pillow - i never go anywhere without it - it enables me to sleep almost anywhere! (i was known to fall alseep in a corner at luggage claim in Canada after a 4am flight to a gig that same evening!!) ... on the last tour we went on i devised a system called "musical pillows"(like the kids game musical chairs) in which i used to replace each pillow with a new one everytime i left a hotel!
Sleep - grab it when u can - u can never have enough of it
IPod - i have to have music that lets me zone out - especially when im waiting at airports, standing in line, traveling on a bus/in a car...
Laptop - nothing better than watching a movie. I remember this one concert we played i was addicted to watching Ali G and was actually watching it during the show when i wasnt on stage -( dont necesserily recommend this specifically - but it is fun all the same)
Travel clothes - i have comfy sweat pants that make me feel relaxed and as if im ready for bed. Very good especially when traveling at crazy hours!!!
Airbourne - keeps immune system in check
Water - keep drinking it !!