RobsHouse.net

“Preserve your memories, they’re all that’s left you” - Simon and Garfunkel.

In an ongoing effort to scan my photo albums, I’ve digitized and posted pictures from the orchestra tour I did in 1999 with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. I had just moved to Germany and was looking for work when the offer to play came. My friend Michal, whom I’d met at Indiana University, called to invite me along.

The orchestra was one of the best I’ve played with, and it turned out to be a very positive move for my career in Germany, as well. While in Jerusalem, I met an American hornist from Tel Aviv - Mike - who recommended me to someone in Germany - Karen - who booked musicians for the Joseph show in Essen, and that is how I started playing musicals here.

We played concerts in Jerusalem before the tour started, so I had a small chance to see the city and visit some of the interesting religious and historical sites there. It was at a time when things were calmer (Clinton was still in office), and I never worried about security. It would probably feel different today, I imagine.

Then we flew to Florida for the beginning of the tour. We played in some very nice halls, and had a couple of days to go snorkeling and see the Everglades. After that, we flew to New York, stayed a block off of Broadway near Times Square, and had a great time there. For some reason, I didn’t take any pictures in NYC.

The tour concluded with a series of concerts in Switzerland. I have fond memories of Sion, Zürich and Zermatt.

While in Switzerland I threw a fit and caused a scene because my contract included less daily food allowance than the regular orchestra members were getting. I’m not sure it was worth it, and it may have been embarrassing for my friend Michal who had recommended me to the orchestra. In the end, it probably had little to do with money. I used this whole tour as evidence while making up my mind to put away horn playing. I wasn’t particularly happy during the tour, though I had fun and am very glad that I had the chance to go to all those exciting places. It is hard to describe how something like an orchestra tour can make you very sad. It has to do with the relationship you have with your own playing, the dynamic of being in an orchestra, being away from home, and the emotional content of the music itself.

My best friend on the tour was Andrea the bassist from Napoli. He kept comparing the food and coffee in all parts of the world to what he would be able to offer me when I visited him at his home. “Wait when you come to Napoli, who they have the real coffee!” he would say. We had a great time, and I promised to send him copies of these pictures. Here I am, five years later, have no contact with him at all, and he’s never seen these pics. I’ve long since lost his phone number, and don’t really know how to go about finding him. So, Andrea, maybe by chance, you’ll find these pictures here!