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The first Sunday of the month is Community Day at NMWA! – See more at: http://nmwa.org/events/free-january-community-day-makerspace#sthash.Lk7FlBPo.dpuf
Press Release
FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 23, 2015
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Christoph Eschenbach, Music Director
Announces
Orchestra to Perform Throughout Downtown and Penn Quarter in Partnership With More Than 20 Neighborhood Organizations Two Orchestral Concerts
January 5-11, 2016
(WASHINGTON)—Downtown and Penn Quarter neighborhoods will become a hive of musical activity January 5-11, 2016 as NSO In Your Neighborhood (IYN) takes place. More than 30 activities are being developed with 21 community partners to ensure that the project provides the performances, educational experiences, and community engagement most desired by the neighborhood itself. The heart of NSO In Your Neighborhood are the chamber music, in-school events, and other activities by the NSO musicians, showcasing their creativity and skills in the programs they devise themselves. This musical mosaic will be anchored by three performances already confirmed, two in the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American
Art Museum on January 9 and a chamber music performance at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
on January 10 honoring NSO Board member Irene Pollin.
Mrs. Irene Pollin, a long-time member of the NSO Board, has been a keen supporter of the NSO’s community engagement programs. She and her late husband Abe Pollin also played a leading role in the renewal of Downtown D.C., and were instrumental in saving the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue.
Among the many organizations partnering with the NSO in 2016 are the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, Calvary Baptist Church, Corcoran School of Art and Design, D.C. Public Library, D.C. Public Schools, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and many others. The NSO will also return to Central Union Mission, located nearby. The list of community partners is at the end of this release.
ABOUT NSO IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD This key program of the NSO’s community engagement efforts features primarily small ensembles in a concentrated week of free performances and educational activities. Events have taken place in schools, churches, restaurants, bars, dance studios, and arts venues. IYN drew inspiration from the NSO’s ongoing community engagement work in this diverse neighborhood, particularly at the Columbia Heights Educational Campus. IYN has grown in scale, from reaching 3,000 people to over 11,000 per year, from 30 activities to over 50, and from 20 to 25 community partners. IYN has gained in recognition and profile, with years involving the NSO’s Music Director and Principal Pops Conductor, as well as bolder format experimentation such as full orchestra concerts at Union Station and night-life venue Echostage.
EVENT INFORMATION
January 9, 2016, at 2 p.m.
Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and F Sts., NW
Michael Butterman, conductor
Marissa Regni, host
This NSO Family Concert is called “Inspiration” and explores the ideas that help shape
composers’ creativity, such as literature, poetry, travel, nature and more. A musical instrument “petting zoo” will take place before and after.
January 9, 2016, at 8 p.m.
Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and F Sts., NW
Francesco Lecce-Chong, guest conductor
January 10, 2016, at 7 p.m.
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
A program of chamber music
TICKET INFORMATION
The performances at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and most NSO In Your
Neighborhood events are free. No tickets are required.
The performance at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue has a $15 general admission charge. All
proceeds go to the Synagogue.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Advisory Neighborhood Commissions are non-partisan, neighborhood bodies made up of locally elected representatives whose main responsibility is to be their neighborhoods’ official voice in advising the District government (and federal agencies) on matters that affect their community. The neighborhood commissions are a unique feature of the District’s Home Rule
charter. Press Contact: John Tinpe, Chair, ANC 2C, (202) 230-8538
BASIS Washington DC opened in 2012 in a beautiful school near the National Portrait
Gallery. In the 2015-16 school year BASIS Washington DC will serve grades 5-11, mirroring
the design of their nationally ranked sister campuses. In the heart of the nation’s capital,
BASIS Washington DC provides an unparalleled, enriching community where students work
hard to pursue genuine understanding. Press Contact: Alice Randall, Director External and
Community Relations, BASIS DC, (202) 480-7432, alice.randall@basisdc.org
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington’s 12 sites serve as safe havens for its
members. The clubs are open when schools are not, and provide a safe, comfortable, and fun
alternative to youth who would otherwise be home alone or on the street. Over 1,300 youth
attend the Clubs daily for Character & Leadership, Career Development, Sports, Healthy Life
Skills and especially piloting best practices in STEM + ARTS = S.T.E.A.M. and T.A.P.
(Tween/Teen Arts Programs). Press Contact: Tony Small, Regional Artistic & S.T.E.A.M.
Director, (240) 429-6274, tsmall@bgcgw.org
Busboys and Poets is a community gathering place. First established in 2005, Busboys and
Poets was created by owner Anas “Andy” Shallal, an Iraqi-American artist, activist and
restaurateur. After opening the flagship location at 14th and V Streets, NW (Washington,
DC), the neighboring residents and the progressive community embraced Busboys, especially
activists opposed to the Iraq War. Busboys and Poets is now located in six distinctive
neighborhoods in the Washington Metropolitan area and is a community resource for artists,
activists, writers, thinkers and dreamers. Press Contact: Patrick Bonisteel, 202-789-2227
Since 1862, Calvary Baptist Church has been living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the heart of Washington, D.C. Calvary’s long-standing commitment to social justice lives on today in its diverse and active church community, through exciting mission, outreach, music and partnership
programs. Whether one comes to Calvary as a member, guest or participant, bienvenidos and
welcome! Calvary is the founding church of the American Baptist Convention and works
cooperatively with other national progressive Baptist groups. Locally, Calvary is a member of the District of Columbia Baptist Convention and the Downtown Cluster of Congregations. Press
Contacts: Cheryl Branham, Director of Music, Calvary Baptist Church,
CBranham@calvarydc.org Reverend Erica Lea, Associate Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church,
(202) 347-8355, ELea@calvarydc.org
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington assists individuals and families in
need, especially those who are most vulnerable. The organization believes in helping people
develop the skills and strength to move from crisis or isolation to stability and growth. We
focus on prevention when possible, intervention when needed, and advocacy when resources
or opportunities are either inadequate or unfair. The organization is guided in this work by the richness of Catholic Social Teaching. Press Contact: Erik Salmi, Director of Communications, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, (202) 772-4390,
Erik.Salmi@CatholicCharitiesDC.org
Central Union Mission is now in its new permanent home at 65 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001. This facility houses its emergency shelter, residential recovery
program, and social work and educational services. It also offers health and dental services,
and legal assistance to people in need. Supporters of Central Union Mission, have a more
convenient location to drop off donations of food, clothing, and money. An array of volunteer
opportunities are also available. Press Contact: Min. Deborah J. Chambers, Director of
Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement, (o): (202) 745-7118 ext 227, (c): (202)
534-9965, dchambers@missiondc.org
The Corcoran School of the Arts and Design bridges the university’s academically robust
programs in the arts with creative and inspired scholarship. Part of the GW Columbian
College of Arts and Sciences, the school functions as an incubator for artists and practitioners in arts-related fields, and serves to enrich students who are taking classes in other areas of the university. As such, it provides a platform for engagement that bridges creative expression and practical application with the breadth and depth of the larger liberal arts education.
Press Contact: Samuel Inman, School Operations Manager, Corcoran School of the Arts &
Design, The George Washington University, ssinman@email.gwu.edu
Cultural Tourism DC and its members affirm the importance of culture and heritage to local
neighborhoods and the city’s economic prosperity by developing, delivering, and celebrating
real experiences for area residents and visitors. As an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit
organization, Cultural Tourism DC presents high-quality, free to the public arts, cultural, and heritage programming – like the Neighborhood Heritage Trails, Passport DC, and
WalkingTown DC – with the help of individuals, sponsors, and public and private grants.
Press Contact: Steven E. Shulman, Executive Director, (202) 661-7581,
SShulman@CulturalTourismDC.org
The District of Columbia Public Library is a vibrant center of activity for residents and
visitors in the nation’s capital. The library provides environments that invite reading, learning and community discussion and equips people to learn all their lives, to embrace diversity and to build a thriving city. The DC Public Library is proud to be a recognized force in the community for engaging the mind, expanding opportunities and elevating the quality of life.
Press Contact: George Williams, Media Relations Manager, (o): (202) 727-1184,
george.williams2@dc.gov
The District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) system encourages innovative partnerships that will engage the broader community in increasing educational options for students. These partnerships dovetail with its five-year strategic plan, A Capital Commitment, which provides a roadmap for building DCPS into a high-quality, vibrant school district that earns the confidence of our community. Press Contact: Nathan Diamond, Director, Arts, Office of Teaching & Learning, Phone (202) 658-1360, nathan.diamond@dc.gov
First Congregational United Church of Christ is in the heart of Washington, D.C., and is
led by the Spirit and in covenant with God and each other. The church seeks to understand
and experience God and respond to the call of Christ as reflected in our heritage and today’s
experiences. The church welcomes people of all ages, abilities, racial and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations and gender identities, and beliefs to share and grow in faith
through worship, prayer, education, mutual support, and social action. Press Contact: Byron
Adams, (202) 628-4317, badams@firstuccdc.org
My Sister’s Place (MSP) is part of an interactive community committed to eradicating domestic violence. MSP provides safe and confidential emergency shelter and transitional-topermanent housing to battered women and their children. MSP also provides supportive programs, counseling, education, and advocacy to all survivors of domestic violence. The goal of MSP is to empower survivors to take control of their own lives. Press Contact: Carol Loftur-Thun, (703) 346-5014, carol@mysistersplacedc.org
The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution devoted to the history and impact of the built environment. The museum does this by telling the stories of architecture, engineering, and design. As one of the most family-friendly, awe-inspiring spots
in Washington D.C., the museum welcomes visitors from around the world to its exhibitions,
public programs, and festivals. Press Contact: Paul Killmer, (202) 272-2448, ext. 3904,
pkillmer@nbm.org
Seamlessly blending style and comfort, the Renaissance Washington, D.C. Downtown Hotel with impeccable amenities and refined luxury, is situated at 999 9th St., NW across the street from a myriad of luxury shopping and dining destinations as well as the exciting entertainment of the Verizon Center and Chinatown. The hotel’s vibrant Mixx bar and lobby lounge is an ideal location featuring over 20 wines as well as a robust selection of garden-toglass seasonal cocktails.
Since its founding in 1986, the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) in Washington, D.C., has become “the nation’s foremost Shakespeare company” (Wall Street Journal) and the “region’s most dynamic theatre” (The Washington Post), and received more Helen Hayes Awards for producing than any other theatre. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Kahn, STC has grown from its residence at the Folger Shakespeare Library to the Lansburgh Theatre in 1992 to the opening of the brand new Sidney Harman Hall in 2007.
The mission of the Shakespeare Theatre Company is to present classic theatre of scope and size in an imaginative, skillful and accessible American style that honors the playwrights’ language and intentions while viewing their work through a 21st-century lens.
The Shakespeare Theatre Company endeavors to be an important resource to an expanded national and international community—as the nation’s premier destination for classic theatre, as a training ground for the next generation of theatre artists and as a model provider of high-quality educational content for students and scholars. Press Contact: Jonathan Padget, JPadget@ShakespeareTheatre.org, (202) 547-3230 ext. 2336
Sixth & I celebrates intersections—the unexpected places where Jewish and secular culture
meet. Since 2004, the historic synagogue in downtown Washington, DC has housed impactful, entertaining, and thought-provoking programs open to the entire community.
Press contact: Matthew Weiss, Live Entertainment Manager, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue,
(202) 266-4856
The Smithsonian American Art Museum, the nation’s first collection of American art, is an
unparalleled record of the American experience. The collection captures the aspirations,
character, and imagination of the American people throughout three centuries. The museum is
the home to one of the largest and most inclusive collections of American art in the world. Its artworks reveal key aspects of America’s rich artistic and cultural history from the colonial period to today. Press Contact: Laura Baptiste, (202) 633-8522, Baptistel@si.edu
The Washington Jewish Community Center is the Jewish community’s address in the nation’s capital, providing uniquely urban educational, social, cultural, and fitness programs
to the D.C. community inside and outside the Beltway. Press contact: Ilya Tovbis, Director,
Washington Jewish Music Festival, (202) 777-3248, IlyaT@washingtondcjcc.org
FUNDING CREDITS
David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.
The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Victoria and Roger Sant.
The National Symphony Orchestra’s Community Engagement Program is made possible
through the generosity of Mrs. Irene Pollin.
Additional support is provided by Linda and Tobia Mercuro, The Morris and Gwendolyn
Cafritz Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, and Tina and Albert Small, Jr.
NSO In Your Neighborhood is sponsored by Wells Fargo.
For more information about the NSO, please visit www.nationalsymphony.org.
For more information about the Kennedy Center, visit www.kennedy-center.org.
Patrons 30 and under and active-duty members of the military are invited to join the Kennedy
Center’s MyTix program for special discount offers
and chances to win free tickets.
For more information, visit www.kennedy-center.org/mytix
Discover the National Symphony Orchestra on social media:
#NSOrch
# # #
PRESS CONTACT
Patricia O’Kelly
(202) 416-8443
pjokelly@kennedy-center.org
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