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Tony Huang has been playing the violin since he was a kid growing up in Taiwan. Now a Professor of Medicine practicing Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Huang played it off and on throughout his years studying and training to be a physician.
Soon after he came to Duke for his fellowship 36 years ago, Huang’s son began to play the violin, too – which meant Huang suddenly lost access to his own instrument as his child learned how to make it sing. He didn’t have a reason to ask for it back.
Then Huang saw a flier in Duke University Hospital in 2010 boasting of a new orchestra for medical professionals. He dug out his old violin and auditioned – not knowing that every one of the 33 people who showed up for tryouts would be accepted.
“Playing in the orchestra actually forced me to practice for a purpose,” Huang said. “Otherwise, it is just random practice with no purpose.”
Nearly 15 years later, Huang is still a member of what is now the Durham Medical Orchestra. Led by conductor Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant, it has grown to 94 members and includes medical professionals from throughout the Triangle area, with about half based in Duke’s medical community. It continues to give purpose and meaning to members, particularly with themed concerts that aim to bring attention to larger issues in the world.
On Dec. 15, the Durham Medical Orchestra performs its free winter concert, “Orchestrating Change: A Concert for Climate Action,” in Baldwin Auditorium. The five works the orchestra will play are tied to nature, climate change and our impact on it.
