Traveling with electronics?

At least your livelihood doesn't depend on centuries-old artifacts of wood, reed, and/or horsehair...

Tighter Security Is Jeopardizing Orchestra Tours
By DANIEL J. WAKIN for the New York Times

Air travel for classical musicians has never been easy.

Those husky cellos need an extra ticket. Hey, security! Watch that priceless Stradivarius. Double-reed players? They have long given up on carrying aboard those valuable knives and shaping tools used to mold the cane that transforms their breath into lyrical sounds. ( Read more... )

The violin virtuoso and conductor Pinchas Zukerman said security officials had even asked him to remove the strings of his 1742 Guarneri del Gèsu. “I’ve had unbelievable discussions at certain airports,” he said by telephone while waiting at the Atlanta airport for a flight with his wife, the cellist Amanda Forsyth. “They want to stick their hands in my instruments, and they say, ‘It’s my job.’ ”

Cellists have it the worst, Ms. Forsyth said. “We buy the seat with a cello, and they treat us like second-class criminals.”

The new regulations have, for now, increased the complications.

The Bolshoi opera and ballet, which have been performing at the Royal Opera House in London, will send their orchestra’s instruments back to Moscow by ferry and truck at the end of the week if the restrictions are not relaxed, said Faith Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Bolshoi’s promoter at the house, Victor Hochhauser Presents. The Bolshoi orchestra’s chief conductor, Alexander Vedernikov, had been quoted as saying that the musicians’ contract requires them to keep their instruments with them.

“Clearly this is a very unusual situation,” Ms. Wilson said. “I’m sure there are insurance issues, but I don’t think anybody’s ever had to cope with the security restrictions that we’re up against.” ( Read more... )

Isn't Heather supposed to be in Germany next week?

Edit: According to the BBC, "Bolshoi musicians borrow their instruments from Russia's state collection and do not have the right to part with them under any circumstances". So legally they can't check them...but legally they can't carry them in the airplane...and legally they are contracted to perform on certain dates....wheee!