I asked Eric deWaardt to write a blog post telling everyone a little bit more about the Notes from the Crypt concerts that he organizes monthly for the cemetery. He wrote the below post, but in true Eric fashion, he is far too humble in his explanation, which prompts me to properly introduce him. Eric is a violist in the National Symphony Orchestra and he is truly talented, to say the least. Moreover, he donates a great deal of his time to organizing and playing the Notes from the Crypt concerts, and through his efforts (and an anonymous sponsor) the concerts are now free for everyone. He is a long-time K9 Corps member, and he walks his adorable dogs Gracie and Timmy every afternoon without fault. And did I mention that he’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet? It’s a trite observation but so very true. The next Notes from the Crypt concert is this upcoming Sunday (June 14th) at 4 pm. It is a free and popular event, so I recommend you arrive early to grab a seat to enjoy a lovely concert in a beautiful setting. More from Eric:

My neighbors got married in the Chapel the fall of 2007 and asked me to play for the ceremony. I immediately loved the sound and the intimacy of the space. I talked about doing some concerts with the HCC staff then, but nothing really came of it until September of 2012 when we gave our first concert.

Eric practicing before a concert.

Eric practicing before a concert.

Putting on the concerts has really been a lot of fun. There are so many truly amazing and talented musicians in DC and I’m privileged to have so many as my friends. The Notes from the Crypt concerts give us an opportunity to play together and just have a great time. It’s such an unusual venue for all of us, too.

 

I’ve been living on the Hill since 2003 and have loved coming to the Congressional Cemetery since then. It’s an amazing place to escape the city and relax with my dogs and friends.

— Eric deWaardt