We're meant to think seriously about giving up flying, but where does that leave musicians? Photograph: AFP
The unprecedented flooding in England has alarmed us all. Scientists say that such excessive rainfall is certainly a product of climate change and that we must expect more of it. We know we must make changes in our own lifestyles.
There's a saying that if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. And I've started to wonder whether, as a classical musician, I am part of the problem. Much as I would like to play all my concerts at the end of my road (and be home before bedtime), there are just not enough concert opportunities. Audiences who love classical music are scattered, in small but devoted groups, around the world. They particularly treasure live performance. So my performing life, like that of my colleagues, consists in going in person to play to them. I play the pianos that belong in those faraway towns, but there are even a few pianists who transport their own pianos - at incredible cost.
And now we're told we should think seriously about giving up flying. Where does this leave musicians? I could decide tomorrow that I won't fly any more. But I'd lose a lot of my income. We go by train when we can, but there are serious knock-on effects. Train journeys are usually much more expensive than flights. Journeys to many foreign cities are too long and tiring to be undertaken on the day of the concert. So we have to go the day before, and stay an extra night in a hotel, at our own expense. And of course, some journeys - to America for example - simply can't be done by train.
Unless they say goodbye to many important destinations, musicians can't refuse to fly. On the other hand we're aware that we can't claim our journey is absolutely necessary. It's wonderful - sometimes life-enhancing - to be able to hear visiting artists perform right in front of you, but it's a luxury.
What would happen if musicians around the world made a pact to stay in their home countries? In theory, we could simply re-distribute the concerts available. British musicians could play all the dates that were formerly set up for visiting artists, and foreign performers could stay at home and play the ones we're not coming to play. But, of course, it wouldn't work like that. No home audience has the appetite for the same musicians week after week. Many concerts exist specifically to satisfy the demand for visiting artists, and if they didn't come, the opportunities would wither away.
A businessman can give up travelling in person to foreign meetings and do more by phone or video conferencing. But such an option isn't open to musicians; it would be as artificial as making a recording. And live music is truly precious - not just to us. So what should we think?
