Longwood Symphony Orchestra Merges Music and Medicine

By day, members of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra operate on patients or perform cutting edge scientific research. At night, however, these health care professionals happily swap their lab coats and stethoscopes for violin bows and reeds.

The Boston-based orchestra was founded in 1982 by a group of physicians and medical students. Today, 80 percent of its 120 members work in the medical field.

Longwood Symphony has been hailed for its technical expertise, but what really makes it unique is its capacity to fundraise via benefit performances.

Since 1991, Longwood has raised more than $750,000 and brought visibility to 31 different medical organizations including the National SIDS Foundation, Joslin Diabetes Center, and the Mattapan Community Health Center.

Through concerts performed in 2003 and 2005, Longwood was able to raise more than $65,000 for the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program — a local initiative that aids more than 10,000 homeless patients annually.

So far this season the organization has done three concerts, donating the proceeds to Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Artists for Alzheimer’s, and the ALS Therapy Devel­opment Institute.

On Saturday evening, May 9, the group is performing a show to benefit the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship.

Jonathan McPhee has served as musical director of Longwood Symphony since 2004. His aim is to present unusual works by familiar composers, or new works by emerging artists.

Despite their busy and disparate schedules, the group rehearses on a weekly basis. Rather than a burden, many of the health professionals view their voluntary commitment to Longwood as a great way to relieve stress. Not surprisingly, they demonstrate the same dedication and discipline towards their music that they do towards their jobs.

Tamara Goldstein, 44, is an occupational therapist working at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center and Goddard House. A violinist, she has been a member of the Longwood Symphony Orchestra for 11 years.

“I was initially motivated to get involved with this organization because it brought together my interests of playing music and supporting area healthcare programs,” Goldstein said.

“It’s a wonderful blend of what is important to me. I get to combine my desire to make beautiful music with my interest in humanitarianism. I feel privileged to be a member,” she added.

Goldstein grew up as the daughter of Holocaust survivors in a rural town in upstate New York. “When I was about nine years old, a man knocked on our door and said we could rent a violin for $1 a month,” Goldstein said.

Her father always believed that the more skills one possessed, the better the odds of survival. Much to Tamara’s delight, he agreed to rent the instrument.

Being a member of Longwood has helped the Jamaica Plain musician expand her skills. “I am learning about compositions I may not have been familiar with before,” she said.

Ellen Tulchinsky of Arlington is another violinist with Longwood. The out-patient physical therapist, who works at Brigham and Women’s/Mass General Health Care Center in Foxborough, has been involved with the orchestra for more than nine years.

“When I first moved to Boston, I wanted to play in an orchestra. My first concert [with Longwood] was six weeks after I moved [here]. It was our summer concert at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. What a thrill,” Tulchinsky recalled.

“As a medical professional, I like the mission of the Longwood... performing for medical charities. I also love the musicianship of the players and the quality of music making,” she added.

Tickets for the May 9 performance are $17-$32. Visit http://www.longwoodsymphony.org or phone 617-667-1527.