UK cities hit out at Dallas Symphony Orchestra's decision to cancel tour over 'safety risks'

Edinburgh and Birmingham residents have spoken of their incredulity after a leading US orchestra cancelled planned concerts in the cities on security grounds.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) was scheduled to perform Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Wagner’s The Valkyrie in at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall in April in what was billed as “an evening of earth-shattering and powerful music”, as part of its European tour. But the orchestra announced this week that it was pulling out of the entire tour, which also featured a performance at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, citing an “elevated risk to the safety of our musicians and their families.”

The surprise decision has been met with scorn and incomprehension from music lovers and others. Critics pointed out that, given the high crime rates in the north Texan city, it was probably safer coming to Europe than remaining at home. Dallas has seen a sharp increase in murders this year, surging 34 per cent, with murders taking place on average one every two days. It has more than double the number of killings than took place in all of Scotland (68) last year.

While Edinburgh is a celebrated UN heritage site world famous for its festivals, Dallas is best known as the home of the US oil industry, a sports team called the Cowboys and the place where they killed a President. Edinburgh MSP Marco Biagi said: “Edinburgh is seen as peaceful and secure enough for hundreds of thousands of Americans to visit the city as tourists each year. If the Dallas Symphony Orchestra have a change of heart and join that number we’ll be all too happy to roll out the shortbread in welcome.”

The DSO’s decision rendered tourism chiefs at Visit Scotland speechless but they quickly pointed out that more than 3.5 million people think Edinburgh was safe and secure enough to visit last year – including more than 300,000 fellow US citizens.

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Dismissing safety concerns, Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: “The Usher Hall is one of the city’s most famous venues, hosting not only classical musicians, but also top comedians and, next month, even the astronaut Chris Hadfield.”

A spokeswoman for Marketing Birmingham said the record numbers of tourists visiting the Midland’s metropolis belied the idea it was not safe. Birmingham’s appetite for classical music was especially strong with more than 36,000 people watching performances by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) every year – more than any other UK orchestra.

Cultural commentator Norman Lebrecht, who revealed the cancellation, said the decision was taken without consulting the musicians who he described as “furious” at the decision. DSO’s president and chief executive, Jonathan Martin, said: “We are very disappointed to not be returning to Europe, but we had to evaluate and make a decision for our specific situation and organisation, and we felt that this is the right decision at this time for our immediate and extended Dallas Symphony family.

“Our concern about elevated risk is not about any specific city on the tour itself but the fact that we will be travelling with a party of approximately 150 people including the musicians, their families, guest artists, DSO personnel and travelling patrons.”