Doug Rosenthal

No one told Douglas Rosenthal to give up playing music. Not even his patient siblings, who endured many early-morning practice sessions; even they encouraged their brother to follow his passion. As the years passed, that passion evolved from simply playing music to advocating for music, musicians, and music-lovers. Douglas is based in Washington, DC. He is the Assistant Principal Trombonist of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra/Washington National Opera Orchestra. He currently makes his home on Capitol Hill in DC with a pug named Jake, who serves as a constant reminder to relax, eat well, and sleep plentifully.
Five people introducing legislation in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. From left to write, a Union worker, Senator Al Franken, Senator Tammy Baldwin, the president of the Machinists Union, and Bernie Sanders. Sanders is at the podium, which has two labels. "Keep our Pension Promises Act" with the Capitol Building above the seal for the U.S. Senate. People taking photos gather around.

Month 9: Athens and Washington

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Cultural Event: Timon of Athens Last month, I decided to return to the Folger Shakespeare Library’s theater for a second visit. Back in January, I attended As You Like It. This time around, I went for the lesser-known Timon of Athens, in which we learn that friends aren’t truly friends if they only like you when you are giving them things. (Are you listening, Washington DC?) This was my first time repeating a cultural venue for this challenge, and incidentally I’m now toying with the idea of becoming a Folger subscriber. It’s fun being a patron. … Continue Reading

Two women standing with their backs turned to a shore with small waves. The woman on the left is wearing pink headphones and a blue and white top. Her hands are together in front of her. The woman on the right wears sky blue headphones and holds them up with her left hand. She is wearing a top that has prints of pineapples. Sunglasses are clasped to it.

Classical Music is Awesome #SorryNotSorry

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Some of the best things in the world don’t give us satisfaction on the first try. Or they involve some “work” in order to understand. Or they require you to leave your comfort zone. But eventually, they blow your mind. Examples for me: Sour beer. Contemporary Art. Exploring cities where I’m not a native speaker. Why then do I apologize if classical music requires this effort? I can’t tell you how often I’ve had this conversation. Me: I love classical music. Non-Musician: [A thing s/he doesn’t like about classical music] Me: Yeah, I … Continue Reading

People from a labor march, mostly in red t-shirts, stand with the DC WWI Memorial behind them. There are two banners in front. On the left, it says "We are Equal", and on the right it says "NoVA Labor". Most people are holding small signs saying "We are Equal" or "Unite Here".

Month 8: Artwork and Airwork

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Cultural Event: The Phillips Collection Anyone who has a “Museum Bucket List” for Washington, DC knows that it can seem ceaseless. This past month, I was able to check off one of the more prominent items off that list: the Phillips Collection. Located a tad off the beaten path of typical DC tourism, this mansion-turned-museum was one of America’s first modern art collections. In addition to works by familiar artists (de Kooning, Frankenthaler, etc.) that are permanently housed there, you can also enjoy the rotating exhibits. At the moment, George Condo is featured, whose … Continue Reading

Who’s Your AudNEAnce?

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The arts have a positive impact on a community. The arts play a crucial role in the fabric of a community. The arts transcend our differences and bring us together as a community. Awesome buzz-words, right? I do whole-heartedly believe in the above sentiments. I usually say something similar if I’m in a moment of arts advocacy. But if I’m being honest with myself, I’ve never given a decent attempt at investigating how they are actually carried out. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) gives thousands of grants to community arts organizations … Continue Reading

Brown-haired woman on the left, smiling. Blond-haired man with dark thick-framed glasses to the right, smiling. Behind them is the interior of the National Building Museum. They are standing on the third floor. The room is sunlit and there are beige, marble pillars.

Month 7: Creating Buildings and Building Creations

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(Pictured L-R: Elisabeth Perry, Douglas Rosenthal) Cultural Event: Tour of the National Building Museum Elisabeth and I are childhood friends. We are the same age, and we grew up just a block away from each other for our first 13 years of life. Now, we both live in DC. We meet up a few times a year, and it always makes me happy. Last month, we visited the National Building Museum. It was the first visit for both of us. We enjoyed walking around the interior, which boasts some of the largest pillars in the world. Many famous … Continue Reading

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