I don't hesitate to say that the symphony here is one of the best things about Baltimore. Especially Marin Alsop, who is maybe the coolest orchestra director ever. I think I've mentioned her on this blog before, at least in passing. She's incredibly talented and makes the performances so interesting with her commentary, and sometimes does post-concert lectures. (I went to one about Shostakovitch a few weeks ago, and it was great!) She also happens to be the first woman to head a major symphony orchestra in the United States.
I really admire this woman. I love her quick wit, kind heart, and passion for what she does. So when my friend Lauren told me that Maestra Alsop was going to be the keynote speaker at an event for the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Office of Women in Science and Medicine, I managed to snooker my way in. :) When I got to the School of Medicine, I had to sign in as a visitor and receive a wristband, and signed in on the line right below Marin Alsop! I kind of wanted to take a picture (because I'm sometimes silly like that), but I figured the guard probably wouldn't go for that.
Anyway, her talk was great. She talked about her career, and some of the things she's been doing in Baltimore. (She's really innovative and optimistic, and sees a place like Baltimore as a place ripe with opportunities to really make a big difference.) Afterward they had a mixer, and I got brave enough to introduce myself. I told her I had a PhD in astronomy and that I was currently a post doc at the Hubble Space Telescope. (I'm still not sure why I felt the impulse to throw my credentials out there; maybe so she didn't assume I was a med student, but to know that I was totally legit too?) She thought that was really cool and asked me for my business card.
As a side note: Ah!! Why do I STILL not have business cards?! This isn't the first I've regretted not having them when I was meeting someone I admired and they asked for one. (I'm thinking specifically back to my encounter with Julie B. Beck a year and a half ago. Yeah, she asked me for my card, and I didn't have one.) I need to get them, stat. But she was apparently serious enough about wanting my contact info that she had her executive assistant give me HIS card. Cool.
Anyway, she was gracious enough to take a picture with me too. :)
6 comments:
Frame this picture and hang it next to your picture with Lavell. :)
Cool! Have you been to Strathmore? My dad says that they built it recently according to all the physics laws of acoustics and it is supposed to have the best acoustics of any concert hall in the world. I don't know if that is true, but it would be neat to go to a concert there.
Oh, and I have had business cards for several years, but I never have any with me.
Hehe, good thing I told you to dress up (even though I spied jeans in the audience). Your outfit is worthy of the immortal shrine of blogdom!
Yes! You need to make business cards!! You could always make them yourself or I have a friend who has used vistaprint.com to make fun personal cards with her info and quotes. You could look into that if that's easier.
If your work doesn't provide you with business cards, I'd be happy to make some for you...email me.
That sounds awesome! I managed to make it to the BSO for a few performances while I lived there but really regret not getting out to do that type of thing more often. Good for you!
Post a Comment