Off Again...

I know that I have neglected the blog in the last few days, but hopefully you have been keeping up to date with Hillhouse proceedings through Twitter.
It has been busy here as Robin arrived home after a month away, but only for three days.
After such a lengthy separation (apart from my 2 hours in Alicante airport...) it is important to spend time together as a family, and simply enjoy a few precious days together.

Robin was amazed at how much son number two had grown in the four weeks since he'd seen him, and even more amazed at the progress he had made on the violin.
Do we have another budding musician in the family?
Only time will tell.
I'm just pleased that his enthusiasm for the instrument continues.

However, all too soon the alarm clock was ringing, and before we knew it we were on the road once again to the airport.

But it wasn't easy.
We had to leave the house by 6.30, as any later and the traffic would have been at a standstill.
We were lucky today.
We got there without any problems, said a quick goodbye, which caused much amusement to some passing air hostesses, and even made it back in time to sit down for half an hour before I had to take the children to school.

Although slightly delayed, Robin arrived at Heathrow along with his luggage, (which is always a relief), was met by a driver, and taken to Southampton.
He has now boarded Cunard's Queen Mary 2 which will be his home for the next 12 days.
Robin now has to prepare for a T.V. interview later today which will be broadcast tomorrow, plus his first concert, which is also tomorrow, the second one being next week.

One things for sure, the life of a musician is never dull!

QM2 Southampton - New York

Those of you following on Twitter will already know that Robin has gone off on his travels once more.
After three weeks at home it was rather a wrench for him, but, he was also ready for the challenge of two, high profile concerts, in the next week.

After a busy weekend, with three performances in two days, it was rather a weary musician that set off on Sunday morning.
Luckily, there wasn't a long haul flight to face, merely a quick hop down to London. Frankly, for Robin, that is rather like catching a bus into the nearest town.

It was with some concern that he arrived at Heathrow, Terminal 5, and waited for his luggage to materialise. There has been such a lot of bad press recently surrounding Heathrow, that I'm sure most people would be anxious.
However, his suitcase did appear, and he made his way to the meeting point to be collected.
We've never understood why he's flown from Manchester to Heathrow, then collected by car and driven for a couple of hours to Southampton. You can fly there direct after all...

Still, on this occasion, his driver was an interesting chap.
When he found out that Robin was destined to join the QM2, he recalled his own experiences, working in the boiler room of the original Queen Mary.
4 hours continuous, back breaking work, of shovelling coal into the hungry beast, then 8 hours rest before starting it all over again.
Robin's two concerts in a week, should seem a little easier now...mind you, he'll be playing an awful lot of notes, and there will be a lot of people watching...

But it helped pass the time on the journey, and eventually Robin made it on board Cunard's QM2.
He just had time to settle in, coincidentally in a room he has stayed in previously, before setting off to record an in house T.V. interview, to be broadcast today.
This often happens, as it allows the many guests to see what is coming up in the next few days.
I know there was an explorer also being interviewed, but information has been patchy so far.
It takes a while for email to be set up, and, once the ship is more than 2 miles form coast, we can't talk on the 'phone.

Today is Robin's first concert. So he will be busy practicing and preparing himself, along with a sound check at some point.
I'll let you know how it goes.
In the meantime, if you're in the UK, enjoy the bank holiday, anywhere else, have a good Monday!

Home or South America?

Gales, rain and even the threat of snow - ideal flying weather.
Robin is en route for Heathrow and then has to transfer to Manchester.
He nearly wasn't though.

This highlights the unpredictable nature of life as a musician.
Early evening yesterday I had a call from Robin as he waited in Los Angeles airport.
Our London agent had 'phoned asking if he could divert Robin to South America.
Now, I don't know about other musicians diary keeping, but back in December Chris Foley ran a poll on the methods used to keep track of concerts, rehearsals etc. You can read it here.

We couldn't contribute to the poll as the category we use, wasn't available. That is of course - me.
Robin's reply to the agent was therefore, "I'm not sure, I think I've something on, you'll have to call Anna."
Which he did.
I then had a frantic few minutes as I tried to work out if Robin could in fact stay away for another week and go onto South America, before travelling back to North America for a pre arranged concert.
The diary was packed.

When Robin is home I have to fit in any appointments he needs which results in a rather busy time. All of these could have been rearranged, but some were important.
In the near future Robin has a trip to a rather exotic country which requires extra travel protection, ie, Malaria tablets.
If he didn't collect them next week he wouldn't be here long enough to start the course before the trip in March....
Even that is solvable. I could have arranged for the relevant medication to be forwarded to a port somewhere and collected by Robin whilst on his travels.

But then I realised that one date couldn't be changed.
A private performance at the weekend which has been organised for a long time.
We don't like to let anyone down, so, I had to say no to South America.
You have to remember that all this was going through my mind in seconds, as I scanned the diary, with the agent on the 'phone waiting for an answer. It was obviously hectic at his end as he tried to resolve the problem.
Normally, like most musicians, Robin always accepts work, even if it requires some reorganisation. But on this occasion it wasn't possible.

Meanwhile I had an image of Robin, waiting patiently at Los Angeles airport, unsure if he was to catch a flight to Heathrow, and then home, or, South America, which ultimatly would have resulted in a total of 5 1/2 weeks away.
As soon as I'd realised he couldn't do it, and confirmed this with the agent, I called Robin.

The temptation for a practical joke was just too great.
I have after all been on the receiving end of many.
"You're going to South America but they are flying you home for the weekend, then back again...."
Silence.
"Only joking!"
Relief.

At the time of writing Robin has arrived at Heathrow and we are now waiting to see if he gets through all the security checks in time to make his connecing flight.
I'll let you know - tomorrow.

On the Way To.....

It's not that we are blase about Robin's travels abroad, but I had a rather amusing 'phone call from him yesterday, after he had settled in on board the QE2.

"Where am I going?" was the question.
I couldn't help but laugh.
The itinerary we get for these trips contain only flight details.
So, on this occasion, we knew he was flying to Heathrow, and would then be collected, and taken to Southampton.
We also know, that his return flight is from Boston, Massachusetts.
As to where he was going in between was something of a mystery.

Normally, one of my jobs is to check countries to be visited, partly out of interest, and partly because I need to know whether travel injections are required, or visas, and even, what type of clothing to pack.
But it has been so busy here.
We did know that it would be mainly around North America, so no new visas or immunisations were needed.
Consequently I didn't look any further.
I did mean to, but, the time just ran out.
However, to save Robin any embarrassment when talking to other people on board, I thought he should at least have some idea where he was going!

As it turns out, it is a trip of 'firsts'.
This is quite rare these days, as Robin has been touring the world for 35 years, playing his guitar, either as part of the Hill/Wiltschinsky Guitar Duo, or as a soloist, so there aren't many places left that he hasn't been to.
But on this trip , he is going to a few places, and one country, for the first time.
You'll have to keep checking in to find out where...

By the time I'd discovered this, we were out of contact, except via e mail.
So I sent the details off, and this morning, had a delighted reply.
I do hope he isn't going to sack his PA for poor planning....

Robin Hill Remembered, in a New York Toy Shop...

You know you have done a lot of travelling when you go into a toy shop in the JFK airport, New York, and the assistant says, "Oh, you back again so soon!"
I was quite amazed, and amused, when Robin told me this had happened.
She must get hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of customers each week. It's not even as if Robin is buying large, expensive, presents each time. It tends to be just a small memento for the children.
Mind you, there can't be quite as many shoppers with large guitar cases slung from their shoulders.

The journey home proved the usual tedious event we all now expect with air travel.
Robin's direct flight was cancelled, reason unknown, so they put him on a flight to Heathrow.
On paper it should all have worked out fine.
Except for the security checks.
So he watched his flight to Manchester depart, whilst he was still trying to get into the terminal building at Heathrow.
Coincidentally, I read this related article today, by David Millward.
I think Robin was beginning to think, "Why do I do this?".

I certainly was.
Having got two children up very early to go the airport, then a call to say wait for further information, by which time we were all too wide awake to go back to bed.
Shouldn't complain really, at least we'd been to bed!

So there we have it.
Instead of getting home at 6 am, Robin is now biding his time in Heathrow,due home approximately 6 hours late.
I know that doesn't sound a lot, and if you only travel by air a couple of times a year, then it's manageable.
But it's very frustrating when such a lot of your work is done outside the UK.

So next time you are at a concert, watching a musician from abroad, just remember the trials they have gone through in pursuit of their music.
They just want to play.
Unfortunately they usually have to jump through a few hoops to do so.

Hill is Home and Shakespeare Quotes

Robin is now home and in remarkably good spirits.
Just for the record, he ended up being away for 3 weeks and 13 1/2 hours, due to a delay from Heathrow.
So near yet so far.
This had the result of cranking up the tension even further in two small, excited, children, so by the time Robin finally emerged from the depths of Manchester Airport, the grand reunion brought a tear to even the most hardened of passing business men.

Robin was up with the lark and straight back into the swing of things.
There's guitar practice to be done, and the microphones that arrived whilst he was away, need to be tried out.

It's fantastic to have the 'sounds of music' drifting through the house once more.
Or, as Shakespeare put it:

"How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music creep in our ears."

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
The Merchant of Venice.

I have noticed though, that Robin has taken to practicing in the studio, rather than the music room.
This is on the 3rd floor of the house and therefore quite removed from day to day family life.
I wonder if he has got a little too used to his own company after three weeks...
We'll soon knock that out of him.

Borat, Kennedy, Ronnie Scot's, and Robin Hill is off to Singapore...

For those of you who are 'Borat' film fans, you will know that it was Sacha Baron Cohen's brother Erran, who composed the score. Due to the controversy surrounding the film, he was surprised to get a 'phone call from Marat Bisengaliev, the Kazakh violin virtuoso and conductor.
The result is a new composition for symphony orchestra called, 'Zere', which will be premiered at St.James's Church, Piccadilly, London, on Friday.
Bisengaliev will play violin and conduct the Turan Alem Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra. For a full report read Adam Sweeting's article in The Daily Telegraph.

Nigel Kennedy has also had a glowing report from Ivan Hewett, for a performance at Ronnie Scott's, where he combined jazz with Bartok and a bit of blues thrown in. Read more here.

Meanwhile, Robin is oblivious to all of this.
Having flown overnight from Miami to Heathrow, he then immediately boarded a flight to Singapore. Another 12 and a half hours...Ouch.
It's tough at the top.

The Windy City - If You Can Get On The Flight....

The next time you find yourself thinking that the life of a musician is glamorous one, then just remind yourself of the recent trauma that Robin was subjected to, when BA lost his suitcase and Miguel Rodriguez guitar. If you remember, both were returned, albeit after a very tense day.
You would think that was enough excitement to last a lifetime of travel, but, today has seen the next installment.
This morning we were up at 4am so that Robin could catch the first flight to Heathrow. Apart from the early start, this part of the journey was fine.
After the 'lost guitar' episode he vowed not to let his precious instrument in the hold again, and so far, apart from a little hassle, that hasn't been a problem.
However, once at Heathrow, he checked in for his flight to Chicago, and then went for security checks.
Should be fine, there were 4 hours to kill.
Robin stood, impatiently, in the endless queue for the entire time, repeatedly telling the officials that his flight was nearly due to board. Only to be informed that it hadn't been called yet.
Eventually, he told the staff again that his flight was due, and they calmly informed him that he had missed it!!! They'd had him there for 4 hours, can you believe it.
Robin tried to resolve the problem at the airport, and I tried to calm the situation at this end.
The outcome is that they found him a seat on the next flight, which should still give him time to make his connection.
When I last spoke to him he was on board, with his guitar, and starting to relax. In fact he was just about to listen to some 'Chicago' on his iPod.
So whilst it can be glamorous and exciting to travel the world, it's not always easy...