Bates Area Civic Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 25, 2014
The National Symphony Orchestra Announces
Orchestra to Perform Throughout Brookland and NoMa
in Partnership With More Than 20 Neighborhood Organizations Orchestral Concerts

January 6 – 12, 2015
(WASHINGTON, D.C.)—The 2015 NSO In Your Neighborhood will take the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) to Brookland and NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhoods. Between January 6 and 12, free community engagement activities will again find the NSO performing orchestral concerts and working with nearly 20 community partners to create the mosaic of chamber music performances, events in schools, libraries, daycare centers, community centers, and unique events that has become the distinguishing characteristic of this cornerstone of the NSO’s community engagement programming. The events will culminate in a concert at Catholic University of America’s Hartke Theatre led by NSO Music Director Christoph Eschenbach on January 12.
“We’re delighted that the 2015 NSO In Your Neighborhood project will enable NSO musicians to perform in the wonderfully vibrant areas of Brookland and NoMa. Our musicians enjoy creating a great variety of programs in response to the suggestions of our community partners, as well as having the opportunity to perform in many non-traditional settings,” said Executive Director Rita Shapiro. “Music Director Christoph Eschenbach and the Orchestra look forward as well to performing on the campus of Catholic University, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of their music department.” The 2015 NSO in Your Neighborhood is the NSO’s fourth neighborhood-specific, intensive performance project in DC. In 2014, over the course of seven days, more than 50 events took place on Capitol Hill and H St., NE, in schools, churches, community centers, restaurants, and bars. Key performances took place at the Atlas Performing Arts Center and Union Station, with additional events at such neighborhood locations as Rock and Roll Hotel, Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, Eastern Market, and with the DC Youth Orchestra at Eastern High School. Among the many organizations partnering with the NSO in 2015 are Children’s National Health System (a regular venue for NSO Sound Health performances), Dance Place, NoMa BID (Business Improvement District), D.C. Public Schools, D.C. Public Library, and more. A list of partners as known at this time appears later in this release.  The majority of the schedule will be determined by the community itself, with the partner organizations gathering requests from their neighbors. The full schedule will be announced at a later date.

The venue for the NSO concert on January 12 is Hartke Theatre, named for the pioneering priest who not only oversaw the CUA drama department for nearly four decades, but also actively worked to end discrimination in Washington theaters.
Examples of anticipated activities include Teddy Bear Concerts (designed for children ages 3 and up); performances geared to middle school students that connect music with key academic subjects such as history and math; chamber music; master classes; speaking engagements; and more.
In previous years NSO In Your Neighborhood has allowed the NSO to forge non-traditional partnerships, with events bringing dancers, actors, hip-hop artists, and a drumming troupe, in performances with NSO musicians. The Last Stand Quartet—violinists Joel Fuller and Alexandra Osborne, violist Mahoko Eguchi, and cellist Rachel Young—and NSO violinist Glenn Donnellan have been particularly active in these partnerships.
Organizations interested in requesting activities may use the form on our web site here and find more information about past NSO In Your Neighborhood events.

Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (5A-E) are non-partisan, neighborhood elected representatives whose main responsibility is to be their neighborhoods’ official voice in advising the District government (and federal agencies) on things that affect their local areas. Neighborhood commissioners are a unique feature of the District’s Home Rule charter.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, and is one of the 10 largest churches in the world. Fulfilling its mission, the Basilica is a place of worship, pilgrimage, evangelization and reconciliation. Designated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as a National Sanctuary of Prayer and Pilgrimage, the Basilica is the nation’s preeminent Marian shrine, dedicated to Catholicism’s patroness of the United States—the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Immaculate Conception.

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 and 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).

The Catholic University of America, founded in 1887 by the U.S. Catholic bishops with the support of Pope Leo XIII, is the national university of the Catholic Church in the United States. Established as a graduate research center, the University began offering undergraduate education in 1904 and today is home to 12 schools and 21 research facilities. Catholic University is the only American university with ecclesiastical faculties granting canonical degrees in three disciplines. The Benjamin T. Rome School of Music is the preeminent center for music study, performance and research in Catholic higher education in the United States and is internationally recognized for its various degree programs. The January 2015 NSO In Your Neighborhood performance at Catholic University will begin a year-long series of events in honor of the 50th anniversary of the University’s Benjamin T. Rome School of Music.

Central Union Mission moved into its new permanent home at 65 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001, in November 2013. At 130 years old, Central Union Mission is the oldest social service agency in the city. Central Union Mission’s ministry provides an emergency shelter, a residential recovery program and social work and educational services, as well as a free food, clothing and furniture distribution center, a summer camp for underprivileged children and programs for isolated seniors. It also offers health and dental services and legal assistance to people in need. Supporters can drop off donations of food, clothing, and money, and many volunteer opportunities are available. Visitors are welcome.

Children’s National Health System, based in Washington, DC, has been serving the nation’s children since 1870. Children’s National’s hospital is Magnet® designated, and is consistently ranked among the top pediatric hospitals by U.S.News & World Report. Home to the Children’s Research Institute and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National is one of the nation’s top NIH-funded pediatric institutions. With a community-based pediatric network, eight regional outpatient centers, an ambulatory surgery center, two emergency rooms, an acute care hospital, and collaborations throughout the region, Children’s National is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as an advocate for all children. For more information, visit ChildrensNational.org.

Founded in 1980, Dance Place builds a community of artists, audiences, and students through high quality performances, commissions, training and educational programs. Dance Place is committed to enriching the field of dance locally, nationally and internationally. Our thriving arts campus serves as an anchor in the development of our Brookland neighborhood in Washington, D.C.

As the Nation’s Capital, the District of Columbia is a world-class cultural destination. Recognizing the changing dynamics within the city, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is poised to increase its depth and expand the breadth of creative opportunities for residents and visitors. The Commission provides grants, professional opportunities, education enrichment, and other programs and services to individuals and nonprofit organizations in all communities within the District of Columbia. Established in 1968, the Commission is supported primarily by District government funds and in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Commission is the leading voice for arts and culture in the city, and works to elevate the impact of the arts and humanities locally, nationally, and internationally. For more information, visit dcarts.dc.gov.

Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5) was elected to the Council of the District of Columbia on May 15, 2012. He is currently Chair Pro Tempore (Vice Chair) of the Council as well as Chair of the Committee on Government Operations, which is responsible for matters relating to elections, campaign finance, general services, and personnel. Additionally, the Committee on Government Operations has oversight of executive governmental agencies such as the Executive Office of the Mayor, the Office of the City Administrator, and the Department of General Services. Since taking office, Kenyan has worked to provide meaningful representation for Ward 5. He has worked diligently with residents and public officials to introduce legislation, coordinate resources, and deliver services in order to improve the quality of life for all Ward 5 residents.

The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides quality urban recreation and leisure services for residents and visitors to the District of Columbia. DPR supervises area parks, community facilities, swimming pools and spray parks, and neighborhood recreation centers. The agency also coordinates a wide variety of recreation programs including sports leagues, youth development, therapeutic recreation, aquatic programming, outdoor adventure, camping, and senior citizen activities.

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.

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 holds the confidence of its community.

The Edgewood Civic Association has been serving in the surrounding communities of Edgewood, Eckington and Stronghold since 1953 with a mission to enhance the quality of life, to educate the members of the community, and to be an advocate for the community that the residents may become empowered in the revitalization of its neighborhoods, within the boundaries of the Edgewood Civic Association, and to design programs and activities that will include youth and seniors.

The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America in Washington, D.C., sustains its 800-year mission of the Franciscan Friars in the Holy Land through education, fundraising, recruiting vocations, promoting pilgrimages and providing pastoral ministry locally to religious and lay Catholics and to all of good will. The Monastery and its extensive gardens are an oasis of peace in the metropolitan area.

The Howard University School of Divinity educates and forms leaders to serve and transform religious and educational institutions and society. The School is committed to enable all students—particularly those interested in ordained ministry and doctoral study—to acquire a comprehensive theological education. The School emphasizes inquiry into the religious and cultural heritage of African Americans, the African Diaspora and Africa. Howard University School of Divinity seeks to be a global leader in theological education in a community driven by intellectual rigor, a passion for justice and freedom, and a relentless search for truth. The School is housed in the historic Benjamin E. Mays Hall, located in northeast section of the nation’s capital, on Howard University’s beautiful and expansive East Campus.

Mary’s Center, founded in 1988, is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides health care, family literacy and social services to individuals whose needs too often go unmet by the public and private systems. Mary’s Center uses a holistic, multipronged approach to help each participant access individualized services that set them on the path toward good health, stable families, and economic independence. The Center offers high-quality, professional care in a safe and trusting environment to residents from the entire

DC metropolitan region, including individuals from over 110 countries.
The NoMa Business Improvement District provides a variety of services to enhance NoMa, a vibrant, growing neighborhood just north of Union Station and four blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Over the last several years, private developers have invested more than $5 billion in the 35-block area within the NoMa BID boundary. With a capital investment of $50 million from the District government, NoMa will soon have great new parks and public spaces as well. NoMa is home to more than 3,900 new apartments, and more than 40,000 people work here each day. NoMa offers unparalleled transportation access via rail, bus, Interstate 395, and two Red Line Metro stops, as well as great biking facilities and the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The NoMa BID organizes more than 50 free award-winning community events each year, connecting more than 20,000 friends and neighbors. For more information about NoMa, visit http://www.nomabid.org.

The DC Main Street program has been in existence since 2002, and provides resources for local organizations to leverage private investment through public and private partnerships while revitalizing existing commercial corridors and historic landmarks. Rhode Island Avenue Main Street is the newest of eight independent, non-profit Main Street programs in the District. The boundaries run from 4th Street NE to 24th Street NE along Rhode Island Avenue NE, which is also a section of the historic Route 1 corridor, and one of DC’s designated “Great Streets.”

St. Anthony Catholic School was founded in 1922 and was staffed by the Benedictine Sisters of Elizabeth, New Jersey, for 75 years. Today, the St. Anthony faculty continues to teach in the Benedictine tradition. Students benefit from St. Anthony’s rich academic culture, which includes high caliber faculty and staff, involved parents, and a supportive parish. St. Anthony commits to enriching the lives, minds, and souls of Pre-Kindergarten-8th grade students by providing them with a solid academic program, influenced by the teachings of the Catholic Church. St. Anthony is a proud member of the Consortium of Catholic Academies.

The Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family is an Eastern Catholic Church fully in communion with the Roman Catholic Church. It has served the faithful of the Washington metropolitan region for 65 years. Many of its parishioners are the descendants of Ukrainian immigrants from various parts of Europe, including some most recently from a free and independent Ukraine. Others have come to the parish because they love the tradition and spirituality of the Divine Liturgy and other prayer services. While being fully Catholic, the parish follows the spiritual and liturgical customs of the great Church of Constantinople. It very much resembles an Orthodox Christian community of believers incorporating the culture and customs of Kyivan-Rus (modern Ukraine). The Ukrainian Catholic Church is just one of the twenty-some Eastern Catholic Churches that add to the universality and diversity of the Catholic Church. Holy Family welcomes anyone who would like to be part of a faith community that lives, confesses and preaches the Good News of Christ uniquely with a sacred and holy style of worship and sacraments.

On September 29, 1988, Washington Union Station reopened its doors with a gala celebration after a three-year transformative rehabilitation project. A collaborative public/private partnership funded the $160 million restoration effort per 1981 congressional legislation to restore the Station to its historic grandeur and the redevelopment reinforced both the public and private sector’s perception of the historic Station as an iconic gateway to the nation’s capital. Today, the Station’s bustling retail and multimodal facility serves over 32 million visitors annually. Union Station also serves as a neighborhood “hub” for Washington, DC and a landmark venue for important cultural and civic events including five Presidential Inaugural Balls, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s 70th Birthday Dinner, the “Great British Picture Show” collaboration with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, embassy exhibits and presentations, local university graduation festivities, and major political and private charitable fundraisers.

FUNDING CREDITS:
David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO.
The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by Roger and Vicki Sant.
The National Symphony Orchestra’s Community Engagement Program is made possible through the generosity of Mrs. Irene Pollin.
Additional support for NSO in your Neighborhood is provided by
Linda and Tobia Mercuro, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation,
Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Tina and Albert Small, Jr., and Wells Fargo.
PRESS CONTACTS:
For the National Symphony Orchestra
Patricia O’Kelly, (202) 416-8443, pjokelly@kennedy-center.org
Our Community Partners:
For the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners:
Sylvia M. Pinkney, Chairperson ANC 5E (202) 269-4180),
5E04@anc.dc.gov
For the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception:
Brandon S. Pettit, (202) 281-0604, bsp@bnsic.org
For the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington:
Tony Small, (202) 429-6274, tsmall@bgctgw.org
For The Catholic University of America:
Katie Lee, (202) 319-5600, leect@cua.edu
For Central Union Mission:
Min. Deborah J. Chambers, (202) 745-7118, x227, dchambers@missiondc.org
For Children’s National Health System:
PR and Marketing Department, (202) 476-4500
For Dance Place:
Carolyn Kamrath, (202) 269-1608, carolynk@danceplace.org
For the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities:
Sarah Massey, (202) 445-1169, sarah@massey-media.com
For DC Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie (D-Ward 5):
Keren Johnson, (202) 724-8028, kjohnson@DCCOUNCIL.US
For the DC Department of Parks and Recreation:
John Stokes, (202) 288-7275, john.stokes@dc.gov
For the District of Columbia Public Library:
George Williams (202) 727-1184, george.williams2@dc.gov
For the District of Columbia Public Schools:
Ben Hall, (202) 442-4642, ben.hall@dc.gov
For Edgewood Civic Association:
Michael Clark (202) 526-1187, mdwa1105@aol.com
For the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land:
Friar James Gardiner, (202) 526-6800, x374,
jgardiner@atonementfriars.org
For the Howard University School of Divinity:
Rev. Paula E. Hall, (202) 806-0500, pehall@howard.edu
For Mary’s Center:
Lyda Vanegas, (202) 420-7051, lvanegas@maryscenter.org
For NoMa Business Improvement District:
Rachel L. Davis, (202) 810-0084, rdavis@nomabid.org
For Rhode Island Avenue Main Street:
Kyle Todd, (202) 808-9050, kyle@riamainstreet.org
For St. Anthony Catholic School:
Michael R. Thomasian, (202) 526-4657, x102, michael.thomasian@catholicacademies.org
For the Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family:
Rev. Robert Hitchens, (202) 526-3737,
ucnsholyfamily@catholic.org
For Washington Union Station:
Michèle E. Jacobs, (202) 289-8300, michele@unionstationevents.com
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