Avoiding Cello Flightmares

Natasha Farney

I just completed a four-city recital and masterclass tour of Brazil, which included one car trip, three domestic flights, and one round-trip international flight. Usually when I travel for concerts, I face the frustration and complexity we all enjoy of bringing the cello onboard, extra ticket gripped firmly in hand. The slightly unusual aspect of this recent tour was that I used borrowed cellos for each concert. I left my own instrument at home for several reasons. Although my room and board was generously covered in each city, most of my flights were not, and I didn’t want to pay close to $1k for the extra plane tickets. I didn’t want either the physical hassle of carrying it around, nor the emotional/mental hassle from airport personnel in a country I didn’t know. I definitely wanted to avoid risking injury to my instrument from climate or other issues. Truly, traveling sans cello is just so much easier for body and mind and I never received any airport challenges with the bow case.

I was exceedingly lucky to find cellist “hosts” in each city who generously found a cello and concert opportunity for me. Each cello was unique, and like my own instrument at home, had its quirks. At times, I felt that I definitely didn’t sound my best: some notes didn’t come out as clearly as I expected, some tone colors were not at all close to my intent, and I suppose that in general, it was more tiring physically to play my program because I had to work harder (strings were higher, and in some cases, the instruments were not played much, so their projection was small or felt stiff) and so I lacked my usual full power. I brought my own preferred strings, mutes, rosin, and resonating endpin anchor. Did they help me? Maybe a little. I rather enjoyed the challenge of trying to make each instrument work for me and although I can’t say that I won 100% of the time, the percentage of acceptable sounds was high enough to make the work worth it.

Certainly, it is ludicrous to think of showing up for concerts and expect a playable cello to be waiting there. Alas, cellos are not sitting around onstage like concert grand pianos! In fact, I was quite astonished that I could find cellists willing to loan me their second, and in some cases, only cello for my needs. Would I loan out my instrument if someone came through, petitioning to play? Hmm, good question!

I suppose in the end, the decision on whether to bring the cello or not depends on your expectation of the experience. Since I traveled to Brazil partly out of curiosity to see the culture and countryside, and partly to visit and discuss the business with other cellists, I admit that I wasn’t so focused on my reputation as a player. My tour was arranged randomly and through an incredible musicians’ network. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the music making, for the pianists and cellists I worked with were all great musicians and very kind people. I also truly enjoyed the teaching and when demonstrating, I tended to use the student’s cello. Perhaps my own cello would have gotten in the way. On my next trip, I am not sure I would go this route again, because the unknowns are somewhat terrifying, however for this trip, it was definitely the best solution.

If you decide to try it, here are some ideas for you. Try a visit to the local instrument dealer, and explain that at your concert, you will be promoting the instrument for several local cellists in attendance. If you are using a cello that has potential, but doesn’t speak as clearly as you would like, you can check and adjust several things quite easily. The most obvious component is the bridge — a straight bridge, centered between the F-holes, will deliver a much clearer sound. Dust on the bridge and around the body of the cello mutes the sound, so a cleaning can really help the sound. Definitely bring your own bow, and don’t forget the rosin! New strings of your choice may also be an improvement. And then at the concert, remember that after the initial sound adjustment, the audience will come right with you, as long as you are involved and enthusiastic. So, bon voyage and enjoy the lack of flightmares! It is a wonderful feeling!

Subjects: Travel

Tags: borrowed instruments, ease of body and mind, flightmares, flying, flying with a cello, great musicians, improvement, Instruments, strings, travel stress, trips

AUTHOR

Natasha Farney

American cellist, Natasha Farny made her concerto debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at 17, and the following year, won two more Boston-based concerto competitions, with performances of the Dvorak Concerto. She studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and Yale College during her undergraduate years. After completing her master’s and doctoral degrees at the Eastman School of Music and at the Juilliard School, she received a fellowship at the Leipzig Hochschule für Musik und Theater “Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy”. While studying at Juilliard, Ms. Farny was a concerto winner, where she performed Dutilleux’s Tout un Monde Lointain with Robert Spano. More recent performances have included concertos with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Abilene Philharmonic, and the Greeley Symphony Orchestra, as well as with the Longwood (Boston).

Symphony, Orchard Park (NY) Symphony, Erie Chamber Orchestra, and the Western New York Chamber Orchestra. She has been on the School of Music faculty at the State University of New York at Fredonia since 2005.

Abroad, Ms. Farny performed at the International Dvorak Society American Spring Festival in the Czech Republic in 2011, and she toured Brazil, giving concerts of two programs in four capital cities in 2013. Nationally, she played for audiences in New York City at the Bargemusic “Here and Now” series, at Chicago public radio “Live from WFMT”, Rochester NY public radio “Live from Hochstein”, and at recital series in Rhode Island, North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, and Washington State. Ms. Farny was a 2012 winner of the American Composers Forum “Encore Grant.” She learned to play the Theremin cello for a performance project of the complete works of Edgard Varèse, alongside the Asko/Schoenberg Ensemble, the London Sinfonietta, and the International Contemporary Ensemble. Her performances with these groups of Varèse’s rarely heard Ecuatorial were held at the Holland Festival (Amsterdam), Festival d’Automne (Paris), the Southbank Centre (London), and at the Lincoln Center Festival in New York City. Ms. Farny frequently performs with Chicago pianist, Kuang-Hao Huang and also with the members of her trio, ANA. In residence at Fredonia, the soprano-cello-piano collaboration champions the works of living composers. They have performed in Erie, Buffalo, Rochester and Boston, reaching across the disciplines to include visual art and dance.

In addition to her cello studio at Fredonia, Ms. Farny oversees the Fredonia cello choir and coordinates the string chamber music program. She has been honored at Fredonia with several awards, including grants from the Faculty Student Association and the United University Professions, as well as the Hagan Young Scholar Artist Award for outstanding artistic performance. In 2012, Ms. Farny participated in an international teaching exchange, which resulted in her giving lessons and classes at the Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere and the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar, Germany. She has given numerous masterclasses and been appointed to summer music festivals in Sewanee, TN, Boulder, CO, Anchorage, AK, and Sweden, ME.

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