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Einstein's Violin: The National Academy of Sciences Concert Series

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Among the most passionate music lovers I’ve known have been mathematicians and scientists, so it should perhaps come as no surprise that the National Academy of Sciences hosts one of the most outstanding free concert series in Washington. On a rainy Sunday afternoon in November several years ago, we decided to check it out.I’d never been in the Academy of Sciences before, though I’d long admired the famous statue of Albert Einstein out front. Unlike other dreary government research labs and offices, however, the interior of the National Academy of Sciences is an elegant art deco "temple to science,"...Read More

Among the most passionate music lovers I’ve known have been mathematicians and scientists, so it should perhaps come as no surprise that the National Academy of Sciences hosts one of the most outstanding free concert series in Washington. On a rainy Sunday afternoon in November several years ago, we decided to check it out.

I’d never been in the Academy of Sciences before, though I’d long admired the famous statue of Albert Einstein out front. Unlike other dreary government research labs and offices, however, the interior of the National Academy of Sciences is an elegant art deco "temple to science," especially the Great Hall, with dark green marble columns and a vaulted tiled ceiling. In the center of the hall, directly below the apex of the dome, a Foucault pendulum rests on an elaborate bronze medallion representing the solar system.

The auditorium is an interesting contrast to the opulence of the foyer and Great Hall. Here, the science of acoustics reigns supreme. The 670-seat auditorium is enclosed in a shell of diamond-shaped panels of different sizes, set with recessed lightings. The engineer responsible also designed the acoustics at the Metropolitan Opera and Avery Fisher Hall in New York. When the woman making the opening remarks first began speaking, I assumed she was wearing a concealed microphone, but when the president of the Academy, Bruce Alberts, rose from the audience to make a few remarks, I realized that any sound coming from the stage was easily and clearly carried to the back of the hall.

Yet another contrast was awaiting as the Grammy-winning Eroica Trio strode onstage, three gorgeous, willowy young women wearing stunning black and red evening gowns. Seating themselves quickly, they launched into the first piece, a fairly obscure Sonata by Loeillot. This was followed by Beethoven’s "Archduke" trio, and, after an intermission during which we viewed an intriguing photo exhibit on display in the Academy's exhibit space upstairs, Brahms’ trio in B major.

The ensemble played with an almost mesmeric intensity, their effortlessly fluid sound ranging from a whisper in the quiet passages to a full-blooded roar in the crescendos. Playing with an "all or nothing" spirit, they genuinely seemed to be enjoying themselves, particularly during the final piece by Brahms, which was an unexpected program change. As cellist Sara Sant’Ambrogio explained, the final piece originally planned, by a minor Russian composer, had suffered in contrast to the Beethoven, so they decided to conclude with the even more magisterial Brahms. The handling of the subtle syncopations of the Brahms piece seemed effortless. At the close of the concert, an enraptured audience thundered approval.

As the Eroica Trio maintains a grueling touring schedule, the exuberance and spontaneity of their performance was remarkable. Go see them, by all means, if they ever perform in your area.

Since attending this first concert, we’ve returned for at least one, and usually several, concerts each year. The most recent concert we attended was on November 9th, 2008, to hear pianist Diane Walsh perform a program of Schubert, Ravel, and Beethoven. We brought along a friend who has lived in Washington her entire life but had never heard of concerts at the National Academy of Sciences. Needless to say, she was delighted to find such an accessible and inexpensive way to enjoy the arts on a Sunday afternoon.

When someone mentions music in Washington, usually a venue such as the Kennedy Center or Constitution Hall springs to mind, but those who live in the area know that some of the best musical events fly under the radar, so to speak, at local churches, community centers, museums, and embassies. Tapping into these opportunities means that you needn’t spend a fortune or face large crowds to hear top-notch musical performances.

Insider Tip: Before a concert at the National Academy of Sciences, you might like to pay a visit to the nearby Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It's just across the street. Read Less

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All the World's a (Millennium) Stage

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What if someone told you that there were FREE world-class performances offered virtually every night of the year in DC? Well, it's true -- just come to the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center at six o'clock on any given evening. For over twelve years, the Kennedy Center has lined up an incredible array of performers, ranging from youth orchestra members to stars of international stature. One night there might be ballet; another a chamber music ensemble; and yet another it might be reggae or blues or some type of music you've never even heard of. Often various cultural ministries sponsor top-notch performe...Read More

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Gershwin's Piano: Concerts from the Library of Congress

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The Library of Congress’ concert series runs from roughly mid September through late May, which is characteristic of many of Washington’s free concert series. (There are many free summer concerts, of course, but they tend to be held on or near the Mall to accommodate summer visitors.) Be forewarned that going to a concert at the Library of Congress might take a little more advance planning, for the tickets, while technically free, are made available via Ticketron about six weeks before the date of the performance. A small handling fee is charged, and there is a limit of two tickets per order. The main challeng...Read More

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Voices from the East: Freer & Sackler Galleries Concerts

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The Smithsonian Metro stop escalator deposits visitors to the Mall practically on the doorstep of the Freer Gallery, yet many hurry right on by en route to other Smithsonian museums, behemoths such as the Natural History or Air & Space Museum. It’s a shame, really, as the smaller museums clustered around the Enid A. Haupt Garden and the Castle are arguably some of the most interesting (and certainly less crowded) museums on the Mall. I’ve long been a fan of the Freer & Sackler – the two galleries are usually mentioned jointly as they have connecting subterranean galleries as well as both primarily focusing on Asian and Middle Eastern art. The Freer has a moderate-sized auditori...Read More

The Smithsonian Metro stop escalator deposits visitors to the Mall practically on the doorstep of the Freer Gallery, yet many hurry right on by en route to other Smithsonian museums, behemoths such as the Natural History or Air & Space Museum. It’s a shame, really, as the smaller museums clustered around the Enid A. Haupt Garden and the Castle are arguably some of the most interesting (and certainly less crowded) museums on the Mall.

I’ve long been a fan of the Freer & Sackler – the two galleries are usually mentioned jointly as they have connecting subterranean galleries as well as both primarily focusing on Asian and Middle Eastern art. The Freer has a moderate-sized auditorium that hosts concerts, lectures, and several film series, while the Sackler has a smaller pavilion space that is occasionally used for public events. In most cases, these concerts are free, although it’s advisable to reserve tickets online through Ticketron for a small handling fee. Some tickets are made available on the day of the performance as well, though it’s necessary to queue for them about an hour before the program.

Usually concerts and lectures center on a special exhibit at one of the galleries, as was the case recently for the opening of the "Garden & Cosmos: The Royal Paintings of Jodhpur" exhibit. For this opening, the Freer & Sackler really rolled out the red carpet, with an entire weekend of special events centering on the north Indian region of Rajasthan. My husband and I made a day of it by going to a morning dance performance held on the steps of the Freer, followed by touring the exhibit, then having a special Indian lunch offered at the museum by caterers, rounded off by two afternoon concerts, one in the Meyer Auditorium at the Freer and the second in the Pavilion at the Sackler.

Attending this opening felt like the closest thing to immersion that one could experience short of traveling to Rajasthan itself. With music, dance, food, storytelling, yoga demonstrations, and lectures on offer, it was quite a spectrum of events. There was even ‘Festival of Lights" program, for the opening took place about ten days before Diwali. (This was a family event, directed primarily at children.)

The Smithsonian, of course, does a marvelous job of bringing guest artists from around the world for its events and festivals, and this opening was no exception. Dancers from the Kalapriya dance company of Chicago were joined by musicians from the Rupayan ensemble of Jodhpur, an ensemble of eight master musicians. The musicians were particularly interesting, as they are members of special castes of Muslim musicians who have served the Hindu Rajput courts for centuries. I’ve long been an admirer of Muslim musical traditions, whether it be Turkish court music or Egyptian percussion, so it was a real treat to hear such a dynamic and authentic group perform.

The performance featured typical music played at weddings and special ceremonies in northern India, all on traditional instruments such as the folk fiddle (sarangi) and double flute, with particular emphasis on invocations and songs of praise of the diety Ganesh. Especially impressive was the vocalist, a tall man with majestic bearing and a mesmerizing stage presence. After he beckoned to the audience during the last number, dozens of people answered the call and came dancing down the aisles. It was a wonderful performance.

Upcoming concerts are announced on the events webpage. This spring (2009), there is bound to be plenty of Turkish and Iranian music, as a big exhibit of art from Turkey and Iran is going to be on loan from the Moscow Kremlin
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The Most Atmospheric Concert Setting in DC: The Phillips Collection

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Enter the Music Room of the Phillips Collection, and you know you've just come someplace special. Housed in the beautiful dark-paneled former library of the museum's founder, Duncan Phillips, the Music Room is very clearly a space for intimate social gatherings rather than an impersonal public performance space. There's an idiosyncratic charm to the mix of paintings hung on the walls - everything from a stunning El Greco to moody impressionist street scenes. At the far end of the room, a grand piano is framed by two large, ornate pillars in the front of the room, while the length of chamber leading up to the pillars is absol...Read More

Enter the Music Room of the Phillips Collection, and you know you've just come someplace special. Housed in the beautiful dark-paneled former library of the museum's founder, Duncan Phillips, the Music Room is very clearly a space for intimate social gatherings rather than an impersonal public performance space.

There's an idiosyncratic charm to the mix of paintings hung on the walls - everything from a stunning El Greco to moody impressionist street scenes. At the far end of the room, a grand piano is framed by two large, ornate pillars in the front of the room, while the length of chamber leading up to the pillars is absolutely jam-packed with folding chairs, set extremely close together.

And no wonder. The Phillips Collection's renowned Sunday concert series is often an S.R.O. affair, and so the museum has obligingly fit as many seats as it possibly could (around 130-150, by my count) into the space. This is one of the longest-running of Washington's free concert series, now in its 78th year. From October to May, the current season offers 32 outstanding Sunday performances.

Anyone who appreciates modern art should by all means come to the Phillips on the strength of the collection alone. The promotional brochure claims the Phillips is "America's first museum of modern art," and while I'm in no position to assess that claim, there's no denying that Duncan Phillips and his wife, who first opened one room of their house as a memorial gallery back in 1921, had singular taste and vision.

Their long career as collectors/public benefactors is best illustrated by the magnificent works the much-expanded museum houses today -- everything from Matisse to Rothko. The most famous painting in the place is undoubtedly Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party (1880-81), a work that glows with life and vitality when seen "in the flesh" the way no reproduction can. Certainly, come to see the Collection itself...

...but then stay for the concert. Every Sunday, the $12 price of admission will also include the afternoon concert, generally held at 4 pm. I'd recommend coming at least a half hour before the concert begins, however, to get a decent seat in the admittedly cramped Music Room -- the sole drawback to this concert series is the limited space. However, if you're willing to sit in less than absolute comfort, you'll be richly rewarded, for the Sunday Concerts are famed for bringing up-and-coming talent to perform.

The phenomenal Glenn Gould played his first American concert in this room, for example. Concertgoers heard a young Jessye Norman sing here, not to mention a hitherto-unheard-of Julliard student named Emmanuel Ax. In short, the Phillips, true to its tradition of finding talent on the rise, is the place to hear someone before they've become SOMEONE (in marquee lights).

I'd gone to several concerts some years back but hadn't gone to any since the Phillips had undergone a renovation several years ago. On our most recent visit, then, we had the pleasure of not only seeing the changes that had taken place in the collection but also finding that the Music Room was still the remarkable place we'd remembered.

The performers that afternoon were an Israeli piano duo, Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg who performed pieces by Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Schumann. This year (2009) marks the bicentennial of Felix Mendelssohn's birth, and so his music is prominently featured in just about every concert series in town. The Silver Garburg Duo is a duo in the truest sense -- they perform at the same piano, which is a difficult feat technically, requiring unparalleled musical unity.

The acoustics in the Music Room are ideal for this sort of music, as even very soft passages are crystalline and distinct, such as segments of several of Mendelssohn's "Songs without Words," while the roaring cascades of arpeggios in the finale of the Schumann piece filled the room with magnificent sound.

After the concert is the perfect time to wander through the rooms of the Phillips Collection, as the crowd generally disperses quickly. We enjoyed viewing pieces we hadn't seen (a Marc Franz, for example) and, as repeat visitors, seeing the old favorites (muscular, vibrant Van Goghs and whimsical Paul Klees). The museum is open until 6, which gave us approximately an hour more to linger in this superb collection. Read Less

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