National Symphony Orchestra violinists Angelia Cho and Andrew Eng perform as part of a quartet with NSO musicians Dan Foster and Loewi Lin (not in photo) for healthcare workers at Inova Loudoun Hospital in Maryland. Photo by Patrick Szabo
“The coronavirus pandemic has been a harrowing experience for health care workers. So, the National Symphony Orchestra is giving back with NSO In Your Neighborhood, performing private concerts at hospitals to lift the spirits of brave health professionals,” writes Jason Fraley on Wednesday (10/7) at WTOP radio (Washington, D.C.). “This week includes … Inova Loudoun Hospital (Thursday) and Howard University Hospital (Friday). Next week brings Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Children’s National Hospital, [and] Grand Oaks Assisted Living Facility … ‘We’ve gotten some really emotional feedback … from workers in one hospital where they just lost one of their colleagues to COVID,’ NSO Executive Director Gary Ginstling said. ‘Just really powerful, emotional responses reacting to having a chance to hear some music and bring some beauty into their lives.’ … It’s also refreshing for the NSO musicians who have been sidelined for months…. There’s also hope on the horizon, as the Kennedy Center is one of six venues participating in a D.C. pilot program to slowly reopen for limited crowds…. ‘We had our first performance on stage at the Opera House of the Kennedy Center [last] Friday night for a socially-distanced audience of about 40 people,’ said Ginstling.”
