SEPTEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 2, NO. 1 AN OPTIMISTIC NOTE At Potter Violins, my viola recently underwent ‘routine maintenance,’ happily resulting in a tone so crisp and refreshed that it sounds like a new instrument. “So your viola had a spa day!” exclaimed one of my weekly quintet’s violinists, a member of another on-hiatus orchestra. This brought quite a chuckle, especially as I’ve never treated myself to a spa day! Upon further reflection, classifying my viola’s mundane ‘physical’ as a spa day yielded a jolt of optimism in our seemingly, never-ending pandemic. When the NIH Community Orchestra convenes this month – albeit, for starters, as a fully-masked, smaller ensemble – it will mark a gathering we’ve been eagerly anticipating since March 2020, when we thought the COVID-19 shutdown would last a few weeks, not 18 months. Thus, Potter’s turquoise blue claim receipt, tucked in our kitchen calendar, was a critical harbinger of our new normal. Although we’ve confirmed NIHCO rehearsal space thus far for only a few evenings, thanks to Board member and resident epidemiologist Pamela Klein, Ph.D., we have science-driven Member Guidelines to safely dip our toes in the water of music-making in Fall 2021. Perhaps announcing NIHCO’s rehearsal schedule, below, will inspire scheduling a spa day for your own instrument, with an accompanying boost of personal optimism, too. The Board and I remain grateful for everyone’s patience, and can’t wait to see many of you soon! – Lee Rucker Keiser, Editor NIHCO CLEF NOTES The Newsletter of the NIH Community Orchestra | nihco.org ALL SESSIONS 7:00-9:00PM. RSVPS REQUIRED. SEE EVENT EMAILS FOR FULL DETAILS.
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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 | V O L U M E 2 , N O . 1
AN OPTIMISTIC NOTE
At Potter Violins, my viola recently underwent ‘routine maintenance,’ happily resulting in a tone so crisp andrefreshed that it sounds like a new instrument.
“So your viola had a spa day!” exclaimed one of my weekly quintet’s violinists, a member of another on-hiatus orchestra. This brought quite a chuckle, especially as I’ve never treated myself to a spa day! Upon further reflection, classifying my viola’s mundane ‘physical’ as a spa day yielded a jolt of optimism in our seemingly, never-ending pandemic. When the NIH Community Orchestra convenes this month – albeit, for starters, as a fully-masked, smaller ensemble – it willmark a gathering we’ve been eagerly anticipating since March 2020, when we thought the COVID-19shutdown would last a few weeks, not 18 months.
Thus, Potter’s turquoise blue claim receipt, tucked in our kitchen calendar, was a critical harbinger of our newnormal. Although we’ve confirmed NIHCO rehearsal space thus far for only a few evenings, thanks to Boardmember and resident epidemiologist Pamela Klein, Ph.D., we have science-driven Member Guidelines tosafely dip our toes in the water of music-making in Fall 2021.
Perhaps announcing NIHCO’s rehearsal schedule, below, will inspire scheduling a spa day for your owninstrument, with an accompanying boost of personal optimism, too. The Board and I remain grateful foreveryone’s patience, and can’t wait to see many of you soon! – Lee Rucker Keiser, Editor
NIHCO CLEF NOTESThe Newsletter of the NIH Community Orchestra | nihco.org
ALL SESSIONS 7:00-9:00PM. RSVPS REQUIRED. SEE EVENT EMAILS FOR FULL DETAILS.
NIHCO FALL READING SESSIONS (**STRINGS ONLY**)
DATE LOCATION
Wednesday, 9/22 Tilden Middle School (Cafeteria)
6300 Tilden Lane, Rockville, MD 20852
Wednesday, 10/13 Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church (Sanctuary)
6601 Bradley Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20817
Wednesday, 11/10 Walter Johnson High School (Cafeteria)
6400 Rock Spring Dr., Bethesda, MD 20814
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 | V O L U M E 2 , N O . 1 | P G . 2
FALL 2021 READING SESSIONS: WHAT TO KNOW
*As of now, our fall sessions are for STRINGS ONLY. Winds and brass, we hope
to offer safe playing opportunities for you soon!
*All sessions run from 7:00-9:00pm. Tuning is at 7:10pm, and sessions adjourn by 8:45pm to
accommodate our venue agreements.
*Please review the NIHCO Fall 2021 Member Guidelines carefully, including requirements
regarding face coverings and proof of COVID-19 vaccination, before entry to any in-person
NIHCO activity.
*Signups are REQUIRED and information will be sent via email, with each month's repertoire.
Priority will be given to musicians who rehearsed/performed with NIHCO prior to March 2020.
RSVPs for the September 22 event will close on Friday, Sept. 17.
*Confirmed musicians will need to bring proof of vaccination, a mask, their instrument, their own
music stand, water, and sheet music. Printed parts will NOT be available on-site.
FALL 2021 MEMBERSHIP: WHAT TO KNOW
*Dues are $50 for members, covering September 2021 through June 2022. You may pay
in person, by mail, or via Square (See the Fall 2021 Member Guidelines for full payment details.)
*The orchestra relies on the generous contributions of donors to fund orchestral operations.
Please consider making an additional one-time donation of $25-50 for the 2021-2022 season.
Thank you!
*We are thankful to outgoing NIHCO Executive Board members John Warshawsky (Treasurer)
and Katie Kane (Communications) for their years of service! Board elections for the 2021-22
season will take place later this month. Please stay tuned for an email regarding the candidate
slate and other details.
*We're always seeking volunteers to bring their talents, creativity and enthusiasm to NIHCO
events! If you're interested in volunteering with roles like publicity, community outreach, and
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 | V O L U M E 2 , N O . 1 | P G . 3
NIHCO Clef Notes September 2021 | Vol. 2, No. 1
Editor: Lee KeiserDesign + Distribution: Karin Caifa
Send Your Stories!
Clef Notes' Editor Lee Keiser welcomes your200-word submissions, plus photo, for the“Stay-at-Home” Stories feature. Or simplysend a photo of your concert, with the dateand description!
WHO'S BEEN MAKING MUSIC THIS SUMMER?
The NIHCO Brass Ensemble performs on the KensingtonHistorical Society's Summer Concert Series on August 28,2021 (Photo: Courtesy Kensington Historical Society)
In Glen Echo Park, the Washington ConservatoryCapital Horns (far left: NIHCO’s Harold Seifried),July 24, 2021. (Photo: Lee Rucker Keiser)
Inscape Chamber Orchestra, conducted by NIHCO MusicDirector Richard Scerbo, performing August 7, 2021 as partof Inscape’s Plymouth, New Hampshire week-long summerresidency. (Still photo captured via livestream)
In Old Town Alexandria, four NationalSymphony Orchestra violists performedwith Interlochen Arts Academy-bound
violist Valeria Serrano (left), a VenezuelanEl Sistema graduate, on Aug. 24, 2021.