Lithuania Tour 2016 (part 2)

A couple years ago, I wrote about one of the challenges we pianists all face: adjusting "instantly" to the piano you are given for your performance. As much as we wish we could bring our favorite piano on the road with us, we have to make do with what we get. Sometimes it's a fantastic surprise... and sometimes it's just a surprise. 

There've been a couple challenging pianos on this tour - including an electric piano (please tell me this isn't an indication of the future of classical music!) and a piano with an incredibly heavy action and "dead" upper register (I nearly killed my arms on that one - spent the evening alternating soaking them in hot and cold water).

When traveling on a concert tour there are plenty of challenges that pop up: from changes in weather that you may not have anticipated when packing, to changes in the schedule. Flexibility and a positive attitude are "key" to making the most of the opportunity to meet people, experience another culture, and  successfully share the essence of your musical program with the audience.