The LSO on Tour blog is written by LSO Players. Here’s a little bit about who they are:
Gareth Davies
Gareth is the LSO’s Principal Flute. He joined the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra as Principal after leaving college, and five years later was invited to join the LSO in 2000. He enjoys the variety of work involved in the orchestra, especially Discovery work. His recording of Quirk by Karl Jenkins, which was written especially for him was released on EMI Classics this year. He has written several articles for various music publications around the world, most recently Classic FM Magazine. His favourite composer is the one we are playing this week.
David Jackson
David is one of the LSO’s percussionists, and has been a member of the Orchestra since 1993. After studying at the Royal College of Music, David was a winner of the Shell LSO Music Scholarship.
Ginette Decuyper
Ginette plays First Violin and is our resident blogger in French.
Tom Norris
Tom is the LSO’s Co-Principal Second Violin. He has played with the LSO for ten years now, having studied music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, which is also located at the Barbican, so he didn’t have to go far….
In fact, after leaving college, before joining the LSO, Tom took a job in Canada as Principal Second with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, where he spent two and a half chilly years cutting his teeth on orchestral repertoire. Also a songwriter, Tom is recently released his first solo album.
Sarah Quinn
Sarah is the LSO’s Sub-Principal Second Violin. As a student at the Royal College of Music she auditioned for a place on the LSO’s String Experience Scheme, joining the LSO in 1998.
Tom Goodman
Tom has been a member of the Double Bass section for nearly 10 years. He very much enjoys his work with children and adults with learning difficulties. Outside the LSO Tom likes to work on different projects for variety, such as an Irish Folk music group and adults with dementia. He also regularly coaches at the Royal Academy of Music.
LSO on Tour 
“Darling”s,
We attended the HOLLYWOOD II concert last evening & were dazzled, amused & delighted, moved to tears & amazed at the excellence, energy & stamina of the LSO musicians & conductor. We couldn’t possibly convey the feelings we still have with us. George says & I agree that yours is the best symphony orchestra he has ever heard. We’re originally from New Jersey & have been to New York City many times to hear other musical organizations, including the New York Philharmonic. You hold the prize. Thank you. Our appreciation & a long-distance embrace go out to each of you. I hope you’ll be back next April. If so, we’ll be there. Next time, for a Classical performance. By the way, we’ve heard you with Tony Bennett (who holds the prize for our favorite vocalist), so you weren’t “strangers”. However, there’s nothing like a live performance to bring it all together, is there?
Congrats on a terrific Mahler cycle… I cannot wait to complete the collection!
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Dear LSO,
Yesterday, 22 March, my girlfriend and I were treated to an absolutely wonderful concert by the LSO at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall. We were in Chicago for the weekend to hear the Chicago Symphony as part of a get away from New England and in celebration of my retirement after 28 years as principal trombonist of The United States Coast Guard Band. We would not have missed your concert! Good luck on the rest of your tour. Who knows, we may get to see you again. We’re checking your schedule now! Bravo-Bravo!
Best Regards,
Mark Weaver and Renee Redman
My wife and I had a great afternoon at the Kennedy Center listening to this terrific orchestra-conductor collaboration live for the first time. Thanks for bringing the Prokofiev — simply too good to be performed as infrequently as he is in these parts.
We hope to catch one of your concerts the next time we’re in London.
We enjoy your weblogs of the tours very much. As our son Joost is member of the LSO it’s of course very interesting to read about how you’re doing abroad. We like the way you write and the humour you have, to us it’s like beeing a little bit with the LSO.
Thank you for your special weblog, maybe we meet you when we’re visiting Joost.
Wim and Kitty Bosdijk
Thank you! You’d be amazed how many people tell me that their parents keep up with their LSO children’s lives via the tour blog! I’m glad you enjoy it and I shall make sure Joost features more often in future!
Dear LSO,
I earnestly request you could forward this email to Mr. Matthew Gibson, one of your friendly musicians.
This letter is from Wuhan City, China, I have enjoyed your magnificent performance on September 11, in the Qintai Concert Hall, Wuhan. Frankly speaking, LSO is the best orchestra that I have ever seen.
When the concert was over, I chatted with some LSO musicians, they are so kind. Fortunately, I got their signatures and took photos with them, including Mr.John Alley, Nichlos Gethin and Noel Bradshaw, etc.
I thank especially the double bassist,Matthew Gibson. Mr. Matthew is a nice person; we talked about the 2010 LSO tour of China, the LSO players and the famous recordings. He even introduced the other musicians to me. Matthew’s friendship, sincerity and kindness is impressive.
However, it was a pity that I had not a photo taken with Mr. Matthew. I feel very sad about that now.
I sincerely wish you could forward this Email to Mr. Matthew. I’m looking forward to his reply and his picture. I hope my little wish would not troubled you and Mr. Matthew.
Thank you very much.
Best regards,
Jesse Gao
Hi Jesse, I’ll forward on your email to Matthew. So glad you enjoyed the LSO’s visit! Thank you to the people of Wuhan for welcoming us.
Dear LSO,
I hope you don’t mind me writing. I’ve just read and very much enjoyed the blogs for the year so far and it’s made me determined to get out of the sticks of France one day soon and track down the LSO for a concert. However my ulterior motive was trying to track down Malcolm Johnston (viola) who was my room mate at Louisiana State University and the best man at our wedding which, by chance, was 20 years ago next week. We lost touch soon after and my husband Jeff and I have often tried to track him down, to no avail. Would you be very kind and ask him to contact me when he has a moment. He was a breath of fresh air in our house – a blast – and I’d really love to catch up again. Many thanks. Hope to see you all soon!
Ginny
Hi Ginny, you’re in luck, Malcolm is still with us at the LSO – I’ll send him your message and email address, and ask him to get back to you!
Very best wishes
Jo Johnson, LSO admin
Hi LSO, would love to see the orchestra come by San Francisco one of these days! The LSO education program really does peak my interests in studying abroad for my music education.
Erik Flury
Hi Erik
We were in San Francisco back in 2009. Had a great time. Read about it herehttps://lsoontour.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-oferprokofiev/
Hey LSO,
My wife and I were in London last week and heard your sublime Steve Reich 75th Anniversary concert with your amazing reading of DESERT MUSIC. And just yesterday, back here in New York, we listened to your incredible take on Britten’s WAR REQUIEM. What an stupendous array of music! Thanks for everything. We really hope you enjoyed your time in Le Grand Pomme!
Hi, I am attempting to contact Matthew Gibson to see if he is willing to do an interview with me for some research I am conducting at Imperial College Business School. I just need his email address, if someone could send it to me that would be wonderful – b.kavanagh10@imperial.ac.uk
Thanks, Brian