How do string players deal with extreme heat?

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Is this the new normal? For string players, the harsh reality of increasingly frequent summer heatwaves is becoming impossible to ignore. This week, temperatures in parts of the UK climbed to 36C, prompting health alerts across areas of southern England.

Changing from heavily air-conditioned rooms (if you’re lucky) to sweltering rehearsal spaces and performance venues, musicians are having to contend with a growing number of heat-related challenges.

The impact is felt not only physically, as performers try to play in uncomfortable conditions, but also by their instruments. String instruments are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, and can struggle just as much as their owners in prolonged periods of extreme heat.

Here’s how several musicians have weathered the recent hot weather, plus the strategies they employ to keep themselves and their instruments in peak condition.

Elene Meipariani – violinist, Trio E.T.A.

When it’s very hot, I try to prepare my body before I even walk on stage. I usually wear silk clothing because it helps me stay cooler, and just before the performance I cool my ankles and the back of my neck. I personally avoid cooling my wrists though, because I don’t want to affect the muscles I rely on for playing. 

I would recommend a cooling neck ring that you can keep in the freezer before rehearsals or concerts. As a violinist I can’t use one while playing because it gets in the way, but it’s great during breaks, and I imagine it’s especially useful for cellists during rehearsals or practice sessions. I use a small towel to wipe away perspiration when I am on stage.

I use a specially insulated case that protects my violin from excessive heat, and I wipe the instrument frequently during rehearsals and performances to protect the varnish from perspiration. 

At home, I use a humidifier to keep the room at a stable, healthy humidity level. In hot, dry conditions, I also use a Dampit to help maintain the instrument’s humidity. I keep my violin away from direct air conditioning whenever possible. Sudden temperature changes and very dry air can be just as stressful for the instrument as the heat itself, so I try to avoid both. 

Johanna Staemmler – violinist, Armida Quartet

Drink, drink, drink! Preferably water – or if your circulation needs a boost, something carbonated works well. Run cold water over the pulse points on your wrists right before the performance, and get plenty of rest on the concert day. 

Fortunately, the instruments in our quartet are quite stable in various weather conditions, though there are a few things to keep in mind when it’s hot: they must never be exposed to direct sunlight. We make sure to stay in the shade for open-air concerts. It is very important to never leave the instruments in the car or in direct sun, even in the case.

Cleaning should also be particularly thorough, as sweat and rosin residue can become more deeply embedded in the varnish in the heat. Furthermore, rapid changes in climatic conditions are bad for the instruments, such as going from an air-conditioned in the car straight to taking them straight out into the heat.

 It is very important to never leave the instruments in the car or in direct sun, even in the case

SongHa Choi, violinist

In humid environments, I keep my violin in a well-protected case, with reusable moisture absorber sheets tucked into all the little crevices. These can be dried out in the sunlight and reused, so they’re long-lasting and eco-friendly.

I only open the case once I’ve turned on the air conditioner and dehumidifier in the room. I also make sure the instrument isn’t sitting in the direct airflow from the air conditioner, and I keep the violin in the case as much as possible. 

When I have my bows rehaired before travelling or concert trips to particularly hot and humid places, I ask the bow maker to use slightly shorter hair so it’s naturally a little tighter and maintains its tension better during performances.  

I change my strings much more regularly in the summer to make sure sweat doesn’t erode them. 

I’m also lucky that I can wear dresses on stage, which are much lighter than men’s suits, so I always choose the lightest and thinnest options for summer concerts. 

My routine of drinking lots of water and sleeping as much as possible gets doubled during the summer. And I always take a handkerchief on stage, just in case it gets too hot and humid. 

On a more positive note, warm-up time is much shorter, and I don’t have to worry nearly as much about my muscles adjusting to huge temperature differences between indoors and outdoors.  

Tuulia Hero and Patrick Moriarty – violinist and cellist of the Paddington Trio  

Tuulia: Performing in the heat is really about looking after our energy. We travel so much for our work, which can be tiring in hot conditions, so especially on concert days we make a real effort to take things easy and arrive fresh and focused.

We are inspired by runners, who understand that preparation begins long before the moment of performance, and we have adopted that same approach on tour by staying hydrated every day rather than only thinking about it when we step on stage.

We wear lightweight natural fabrics, such as pure silk, to help keep cool, and Patrick has a special performance jacket designed to be more comfortable in warmer weather.   

When we have multiple performances a day, especially during the summer festival season, we try not to practise too much outside of our dress rehearsals. We also make the most of any opportunity to cool down between concerts – even something as simple as a cold shower can make a real difference. 

Once we start playing — and we have performed in some wild places under some wild weather conditions — it feels like it’s just us and our audience. Being in a flow state with your friends is the best way to spend time in the heat, because you can forget about it for a moment! 

Patrick: We both play on old instruments, so they can be rather temperamental, especially during a heatwave. One of the most important things is protecting them from unnecessary heat and rapid temperature changes during travel.

A well-designed instrument case makes an enormous difference. A white instrument case can be as much as 17°C cooler than a black case in direct sunlight, which really highlights how important case choice can be when you’re walking to and from a concert hall, or travelling between venues during the summer. We also keep a digital hygrometer in our cases so we can monitor the humidity while we’re travelling.   

We both use custom bridge gauges; mine was made by Robin Aitchison, while Tuulia’s was made by Yoav Finkelstein. As temperatures fluctuate, strings are changed and we travel regularly, the bridge naturally shifts over time. These gauges allow us to check that the bridge is in exactly the right position before we play.

In my view, maintaining the correct bridge position is every bit as important as having a good sound adjustment, as it has a significant effect on the instrument’s response, projection and tone.   

We’re also meticulous about keeping our strings clean while we’re constantly travelling. Before performances, we wipe the strings with alcohol wipes to remove rosin build-up. In hot weather, rosin becomes softer and stickier than usual, so keeping the strings clean helps maintain a consistent response and sound quality throughout a performance. 

Louise Lansdown – violist

I was preparing for a recording of a solo album and also a Wigmore Hall concert during the heatwave towards the end of June. I practised with a fan moving the air about, with the blinds down and windows closed. It was sweltering – we drank loads of water and tried not to be too physically active in rehearsals in order to economise on movement and attempt to maximise on brain activity!

For the Wigmore Hall concert I took wet wipes onto the stage as I was so worried about having slippery, sweaty fingers. I don’t have an excuse to be suffering from the heat – I come from Cape Town and I should really be more hardy! Nevertheless, it finished me off! 

My poor viola opened up and had a dreadful buzz on the morning of the concert, which was caused by the extreme heat. It wound up having emergency glueing the day after the concert.

In general I try to keep my viola in the case as I have Boveda humidity crystals that do help it to equalise the case environment. If the viola is out of the case I keep it near some water to try and avoid it drying out dramatically. I clean the strings, fingerboard and chin rest and wash my hands much more often than usual during hot weather. I never keep my viola in the sun at home, I keep it in a dark room with the coolest temperature possible. 

Guy Johnston – cellist 

I’ve been travelling on trains a lot recently. I recommend finding the side where the sun isn’t streaming down on the cello, and ideally in an air-conditioned carriage (if it’s working!) or next to an open window for a little cooling. Be sure to leave your instrument in shaded areas wherever you’re staying where the sun can’t get to it.

It’s useful to have a fan on to keep the air moving. I’m performing at the Five Churches Festival in Norfolk this week where the temperature is set to rise again. Even the churches are warming up! But at least they can be cooler than most venues. Keep drinking lots of water and wear some light clothes for concerts. 

Keep drinking lots of water and wear some light clothes for concerts

Hannah Roberts – cellist

Check humidity levels and be sure to use something to humidify the instrument if it’s dry or the reverse if it’s a humid kind of heat. 

Be aware that in extreme conditions the varnish could even become slightly stickier on the instrument so being mindful of what cloths or covers may be in contact with the instrument or even parts of the case.  

In terms of keeping oneself cooler for performance, I find having one of those handheld rechargeable electric fans really useful because even a 30-second blast of that before you go on stage can help. 

Running wrists under cold water briefly also helps before going on stage, as well as canny choices of concert clothing, drinking something ice cold or even having an ice cream if it’s available beforehand – which is a good excuse!

Leon Bosch – double bassist

Having grown up in South Africa, I became accustomed to working in extreme heat long before moving to the UK 44 years ago.  

My philosophy is simple: treat yourself and your instrument as though you’re crossing the road to walk in the shade rather than in direct sunlight. That means keeping your practice or performance space as cool as possible by closing curtains and windows against the heat, rather than inviting hot air inside, and using a fan if necessary.  

Personally, I take regular hydration breaks, just as elite athletes now do in major sporting events.  

As for my double bass, it deserves constant care: before transporting it, I ensure the car is properly cooled with air conditioning, and in especially hot weather I rely on a hygrometer to monitor humidity together with two Dampits to help maintain a stable environment. 

Good preparation and a little common sense, right down to wearing appropriate clothing, go a long way towards ensuring that both musician and instrument emerge from a heatwave in good condition.