I guess I never mentioned why I am here in Washington. I am an intern at the Library of Congress. I am working in a division that helps with the care of the books and I'm also working with some Portuguese materials which is exciting. I am enjoying the atmosphere and everyone I have met has been very helpful and friendly. Working in such a historic building with books and items that are living history makes every day exciting and very rewarding.
Last weekend I went on a tour of the White House. It was an amazing tour and to be able to see priceless works of art like the picture of George Washington that Dolly Madison saved during the British invasion of Washington in 1814 was wonderful. We also entered the room where Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy were laid in state after their assassinations. During the tour you can only see the East Wing and the two floors of the main house, but it was still so amazing to see what we could.
This past week I was able to go to one of the most sought after events in DC. A group from Afghanistan called the 'Afghan Youth Orchestra' is visiting the United States. They are all from the ages of 12-20 and many of them are orphans. They study at the Afghan National Music Institute where they also receive the equivalent of a high school education. The school has both boys and girls which was exciting to see them both perform. The school was opened in 2001, shortly after the US coalition drove the Taliban from Kabul. The music was absolutely amazing and beautiful. They played a combination of traditional Western instruments (violin, piano, clarinet) but also combined it with traditional Afghan instruments like the rubab, sitar sarod. The two combined was one of the best musical experiences I have ever heard. They ended with a version of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" that combined the music with the Afghan instruments. There were a lot of Afghan Americans who were there and they would wave Afghan flags during the applause after each number.
Here is a video that has them performing
Yesterday I went to the National Gallery of Art. It was very nice, but best of all I was able to see a painting by my favorite painter: Jacques-Louis David. He is a French Neo-classical artist who is most famous for his painting "Oath of the Horatii" and his paintings of Napoleon. I saw this painting
Napoleon in his study
This DC experience has been this constant feeling of seeing things that I have heard and learned so much about, but to see them in person really drives home the importance of art, history, music and our shared culture as children of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment