‘The practical difficulties will be immense’: How post-Brexit customs checks could impact orchestras and European tours Visa difficulties might quickly deter some of the world’s finest players plying their trade in the UK

Beethoven’s anthemic Ode to Joy may be the tune that unifies the EU, but for British musicians and orchestras Brexit could prove less melodious.

Sir Simon Rattle, musical director of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) and described as Britain’s biggest classical music star, fears tours will have to be curtailed despite their importance for generating income.

“The practical difficulties will be immense because there never was any planning for Brexit. Whenever we ask government officials what the situation will be with taking instruments from country to country, the answer is: ‘Sorry, we have no idea’.” Customs checks and form-filling to move musicians from one country to another can take up to 15 hours on average he says, which will severely impact on the LSO’s touring life.

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He described how they played Frankfurt in Germany on a Friday evening but had a concert in Paris the following night. “If all the instruments had to be inspected, there is no way we would have got from one country to another,” he says.

Impact of visa changes

The other impact he warned could be on the composition of the orchestras – LSO musicians come from 26 different countries – 18 of them European. Visa difficulties might quickly deter some of the world’s finest players plying their trade in the UK.

The Association of British Orchestra’s (ABO) latest report makes clear the financial importance of Europe’s music-loving audiences for UK orchestras. Income from all foreign tours brought in revenue of £14.4m last year, of which £8.4m came from tours of EU nations. Europe is the most toured continent by British orchestras, comprising 154 of their 201 overseas trips. Of the 1,116 musicians on long-term contracts, 69 are citizens of EU countries other than the UK but there are more than 1,000 more who hold less secure “member” status. The ABO believes the numbers of foreign musicians playing in UK ensembles has remained steady regardless of a looming Brexit.

“This suggests that any potential Brexit effect has yet to take place,” a spokesman said.

Expanding their horizons

It also believes orchestras will extend their tour horizons beyond Europe. They point to the 10 visits made to the US and a further 10 to China. There were also tours of Japan, South Korea and five to the United Arab Emirates. Even more ambitiously, the London Chamber Orchestra toured south-east Asia giving concerts in Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

The influential critic Norman Lebrecht is unconvinced touring further afield is the answer. He argues that UK orchestras need to pay closer attention to their carbon footprint. Many foreign concerts lose money he argues.

“London has twice as many orchestras as it can sensibly sustain. The only way to keep them going is to keep them in the air,” he said.

“In an era of climate change, a completely new strategy is needed.”