Bruce Kuehne, First Violin
Columbia Orchestra Member Since: 1978
I’ve always loved classical music (even at the age when normal kids were gaga over the Beatles and Rolling Stones). I started playing the violin in the summer between third and fourth grade. I’ve played in orchestras ever since, all through junior and senior high school, college (Purdue), and since the first year of the Columbia Orchestra’s existence. Being able to touch the music first-hand gives me an increased appreciation of the music, and being enveloped by the music provides a thrill that cannot be realized by simply listening through speakers or (heaven forbid) earbuds.
I enjoy all types of classical music, but my real joy is music of the 20th (and now 21st) Century, especially the Russians (Shostakovich, Schnittke), Americans (Corigliano, Rouse, Glass), and Scandinavians (Sibelius, Nielsen, Sallinen). I also occasionally listen to so-called popular music (Joe Jackson, Pat Metheny, and yes, the Beatles), but I return to classical music because the complexity holds my interest.
My day job involves program management at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab. When not working or playing/listening to music, I watch movies (some favorites: Blood Simple, 12 Monkeys, Apocalypse Now, and The Lives of Others). My wife (of more than 35 years) and I also like to hike and watch TV (Modern Family, The Good Wife, and West Wing on DVD). In addition, as president of the Columbia Orchestra and member of the Finance Committee, I spend time on orchestra-related administrative activities. We also follow the accomplishments of our daughter Valerie, who is a freelance cellist playing classical, popular, and experimental music on the New York Scene and around the country.
