Asian Youth Orchestra general manager comes to grips with life on the road
Keith Lau, general manager of the Asian Youth Orchestra, has his work cut out when the ensemble goes on the road, writes Alec Cheung
As general manager of the Asian Youth Orchestra, Keith Lau Kwok-hung's job includes handling the logistics of the troupe, working with donors and designing the tour routes.
But not included in that job description are the absurd situations the 41-year-old needs to solve every year when the orchestra goes on the road.
Lau has argued with immigration officers who won't allow student entry, dealt with unreliable local venues, and prayed to Mother Nature for a hassle-free travel plan. He has struggled with these problems for close to two decades.
You do get used to it. There's always an alternative, a solution
"Something unexpected always pops up," says Lau, as he recalls the frustration he faces each year. "There have been a lot of unbelievable stories."
Although Lau has never left a performer behind in his 16 years on the job, he admits that it has almost happened. "Last year, due to the tensions between Taiwan and the Philippines because of the shooting [of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine coastguards], Taiwanese officials did not give our Filipino students permits to perform," says Lau.
"The problem was solved just before we arrived in Taipei. We were planning alternatives in case the kids couldn't get there. It was really absurd. Some of our members were just children."
In a more extreme example, due to a miscommunication, the orchestra almost left most of its string section behind in 2012, when the mainland performers - who make up a large portion of the orchestra - lacked an entry requirement for Taiwan.
Richard Pontzious - the orchestra's founder - jumped in with Lau to negotiate with the immigration officers as the 25 mainland musicians waited anxiously to hear the results, and the crisis was averted an hour before the plane took off.