BNL has concerts down to a science

How do you get to Brookhaven National Lab?

For some rising classical music stars, the answer is: practice, practice, practice.

Turns out hot tunes and cold fusion go hand in hand at the federal laboratory in Upton, where classical concerts have been offered to employees and the public since the lab's founding in 1947.

At a March 7 concert in Berkner Hall, pianist Michael Brown, a Long Island native who lives in New York, performed with the Linden Quartet selections from Robert Schumann, Bela Bartok and Maurice Ravel.

Playing next to a podium labeled "United States of America Department of Energy," five young musicians enthralled an auditorium of more than 200 people, mostly retirees and employees on break.

Savory smells drifted in from the nearby cafeteria, and some spectators ate lunch off trays in their laps.

"The artists are well selected," said research engineer Gerardo Martinez-Guridi of the concert series. "It's great to have these concerts on campus."

The series has been free to the public since 1998 through funding provided by Brookhaven Science Associates, according to Geoffrey Hind, a retired BNL senior biology scientist who volunteers as the series organizer.

Hind keeps up on the rising musician scene by attending concerts where new performers are showcased, and working with booking agencies.

"We can't afford people who are very big names, but we somehow managed to pull a series together," Hind said. He declined to provide the budget for the series, which mounts concerts every three to five weeks.

Audience numbers have been growing, Hind said. "Numbers are steadily rising. We're now seeing audiences of 200 which for the regular classical concert was not seen before."

The BNL series has presented performers of folk, opera and pop music -- even silent movies paired with live music -- but classical music is the mainstay.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory also has a concert series scheduled for guests of lab conferences and meetings. The public can attend with $20 tickets or a $100 subscription.

"The concerts are primarily scheduled for our meetings as entertainment for our visitors, but it's also open to the community," said Jessa Giordano, a lab event planner.

Both labs tend to favor classical music, though organizers say they have no theories for the connection between the sciences and music.

"Einstein played the violin," said Hind laughing.

At Brookhaven, several audience members said they appreciate having free concerts close to home.

Robert Hernandez, a BNL employee, brought his mother Marilyn Hernandez and aunt Joan Rittereiser from their retirement community in Ridge for the concert. They said the series is turning them into classical music aficionados.

"We've been often, even when sometimes we're not familiar with the music," Rittereiser said.

"It's wonderful. It's the only thing on Long Island like it," said retired teacher Dale Katzen of Manorville, who has recruited fellow retired teachers to join her.

Dates to remember

APRIL 11 Opera from Stony Brook presents Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Mozart's comic opera. Conducted by David Lawton.

JUNE 27 Soloists from Pianofest's First Session

JULY 25 Soloists from Pianofest's Second Session

All concerts are at noon and free to the public. Visitors over 16 years old require photo ID to enter BNL. More information is available at 631-344-2345.