“On Tuesday evenings at the National Institutes of Health’s main campus in Bethesda, Maryland, about 70 scientists, federal workers and community members” rehearse in the NIH Philharmonia, writes Katelyn Newman in Thursday’s (10/16) Washington Post. “Nancia D’Alimonte of Fairfax is the music director and conductor. Violinist and co-founder Ginger McLaughlin “developed the group [in 2005] as a branch of the NIH community orchestra…. D’Alimonte said the orchestra gives its members a chance to relieve the stress of work and gain balance in their lives.” The orchestra typically performs five free concerts a season in Rockville, Maryland, with each concert attracting about 700 people…. ‘These are a type of people that are wonderful at everything they do, and in turn those people want to be good at their passion,’ said D’Alimonte, who holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music.… With only one two-hour practice a week, D’Alimonte said, the toughest part of organizing the orchestra is coordinating schedules. ‘To have everyone at rehearsal every week—that’s the challenge, because we’ll get a text message that says, “Sorry, my lab is running late,” ’ D’Alimonte said…. Concertmaster and violinist Amy DeLouise said, … ‘It’s an amazing experience to play in a really high-quality symphony… Your soul is engaged in the music, and it’s a collective effort with your colleagues.’ ”
Posted October 17, 2014
