By Jewish Herald Voice | Thu, Jun 04, 2020
Songwriter Diane Warren invited the Texas Medical Center Orchestra to perform her Oscar-nominated “I’m Standing With You” in a collaborative music video. (See facebook.com/watch/?v=408812600002292.) Within five days of its release, it raised more than $5 million for COVID-19 relief. According to TMCO president, Dr. Daniel Musher, support of medically related charities is part of the mission of the orchestra.
The video is an arrangement by Emmy-nominee composer Sharon Farber, who worked with award-winning Israeli director Gev Miron to produce it.
Singers from five continents participate, including Israeli singer Rita, Cantor Ilysia Pierce of Temple of the Arts in Beverly Hills, and opera star Renée Fleming. Warren chose TMCO for this collaboration because of the orchestra’s national recognition as winner of the American Prize. Of 170 musicians who participated, 73 came from Houston’s Texas Medical Center Orchestra.
“This is a really important collaboration that gives TMCO the publicity it rightfully deserves. It shows our members, who are nearly all in health-related fields, are contributing with their music, as well as their everyday work to defeat the pandemic,” said Libi Lebel, TMCO artistic director.
The purpose of this global musical collaboration is to spread love, unity, gratitude and healing through music during this difficult time, while raising funds to support the United Nations Foundations COVID-19 Response Fund for the World Health Organization. Within five days of its release on YouTube, there were 25,000 views and more than $5.3 million raised; Google is matching the first $5 million with a 2:1 donation.
TMCO wrapped up its 20th season with a March 8 concert celebrating International Women’s Day at the Hobby Center in Downtown Houston. While orchestra members regretted the necessity of canceling the final concert of the season, due to the pandemic, they understood the importance of protecting the health and safety of patrons, staff and musicians. TMCO members are well-represented in Houston’s medical community, with physicians, nurses, therapists, researchers and students who serve in area hospitals and medical schools and various health-related fields.
During this pandemic, the orchestra has featured individual members on its Facebook page and has included their particular insights into the crisis. Research nurse manager and violinist Jie Willey, who was featured by her employer MD Anderson Cancer Center, said that music lifts her spirits during challenging times.
Baylor College of Medicine associate professor of Nephrology and cellist, Dr. Rajeev Raghavan, works as a physician and health care facility director in both the hospital and outpatient setting. He said the pandemic allows us to put life in perspective and realize what is truly important.
Baylor medical student and violist Laura Michie said, “The coronavirus crisis has brought out the best in people throughout our country and the world. Every day I read heroic and tragic stories from health care workers on the front lines, and it has shown me more than ever before that no matter how tedious and time consuming my studies are today, they will matter in the real world.”