New Years Concert at the National Gallery of Art

Saturday afternoon I rehearsed for the annual New Years orchestra concert at the National Gallery of Art. Yes, the art gallery features more than just paintings and portraits. There is art, sculpture, film, lectures, concerts, and more.

This year's New Years concert (on Sunday, January 3rd) features music of Bizet, Ginastera, Satie, Serebrier, and encores of Blue Danube Waltz, Pizzicato Polka, Radetzsky March, etc. After expecting to only play at the very beginning of the program and at the very end, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Serebrier's arrangement of Carmen Symphony includes four horns. Yay!! BTW, Jose Serebrier is returning as our conductor for this concert.

We rehearsed in concert order, as this is Mr. Serebrier's preferred method to work. The first piece programed is "Malambo" from the Ballet "Estancia" by Ginastera. This four minute piece of music has some fun horn parts. Yippee!!

As I was required to breathe deeper and support more fully, it was like my heart and soul were getting a well-deserved massage...coming to life after a long hiatus. It felt good, really good. That smile developing from deep inside is the very best kind!!

After rehearsal one of the horn players (who I hadn't seen since last year's New Year concert at the Gallery) asked how I was - how my health was doing. I answered in the positive. He remembered both that I have a couple of autoimmune diseases and that I do some freelance writing about it. We had a really quick conversation on the way to the parking lot and I left smiling.

I'll be at the National Gallery of Art today for another rehearsal and the concert at 6:30pm. If you are in the Washington, D.C. area and want to enjoy a FREE Sunday concert, be sure to be in the Gallery by 6pm. The outside doors are open until 6:30pm but attendees begin lining up before 6pm.

The National Gallery of Art is located on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 4th Streets. The concert is being held upstairs in the West Garden Court (where one of the fountains is located). Concerts usually are well attended so arrive early.

I'll be looking forward to having my heart and soul massaged further. Makes me breathe more deeply and refreshingly just thinking about it. :)