Some new U.S. citizens were serenaded by Philadelphia Orchestra musicians

The expected tradition involves the gift of a little American flag and pocket edition of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence. But an additional welcome awaited a few dozen newly minted U.S. citizens Thursday at three naturalization ceremonies in West Philadelphia — a musical one played by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Recipients said they were surprised and touched by the serenade.

“It was really very serene, very calming music,” said Pakistan-born Sabah Samson, a Wells Fargo financial adviser, just after officially becoming a U.S. citizen. “It reached the soul.”

Thursday’s ceremonies at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices at 41st St. and Powelton Ave. were presided over by Joel H. Slomsky, a senior U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Slomsky spoke about the U.S. being a country of immigrants, and the richness of cultures these new citizens bring from Burma, Canada, India, Jordan, Ukraine, Vietnam, and elsewhere.

He also spoke about his own heritage and culture, and the fact that “music has been a part of my pursuit of happiness.”

More specifically, Slomsky is a Philadelphia Orchestra fan. It was during another naturalization service, in 2018, that one new citizen, Julia Li, mentioned that she was a violinist with the orchestra, and the judge’s ears perked up.

Later, he met Philadelphia Orchestra president and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky, who had himself recently become a U.S. citizen. Slomsky invited Tarnopolsky to speak at a naturalization ceremony, which he did.

“It was deeply moving,” said Tarnopolsky. “So I invited all of those naturalized that day to a concert, and many came during the course of the season.”

He also invited Judge Slomsky to bring a naturalization ceremony to the Kimmel Center, offering the full orchestra to play the national anthem and other music. It was just about to happen, last April, when the pandemic hit and the orchestra and Kimmel Center shut down.

As the pandemic wore on, Thursday’s performance by Li, violist Che-Hung Chen and cellist Yumi Kendall was arranged.

It arrived at just the right time for Maggie Li Zhang, from China.

“With all of the attacks and hate against Asian Americans, the last week has been difficult, and this morning I was thinking about becoming a U.S. citizen with all of this going on.”

During the surprise string trio performance, she noticed the orchestra’s Asian musicians, and thought: “They went through this and I can also. I want to be part of the change I want to see, to make America kind and loving again.”

The timing also felt significant to Kendall.

“What a great way to celebrate how rich and diverse and welcoming this country is at its core. That’s what I feel like we’re about and should be about in light of recent events,” said the cellist of today’s role for the orchestra.

Each of the pieces played Thursday was chosen for a specific reason. Music by a living American composer was important, said Kendall, hence “Great Day” from Adolphus Hailstork’s Three Spirituals. Dvorak was represented with the “Cavatina” from Miniatures, with the composer an example of someone who came to America from elsewhere and absorbed its sound.

Li noted how the addition of music to the naturalization ceremonies warmed the atmosphere. And with pandemic safety protocols robbing the room of family of friends, there was no question that music was able to rush in where hugs might have been.

“Having us here doesn’t substitute for that, but I do think it brings something else celebratory,” said Li.

Tarnopolsky promises that when the pandemic is over, the orchestra will work to bring a naturalization ceremony to the Kimmel Center as it originally intended, so new citizens can be serenaded by the full orchestra.

“It would be a wonderful tradition,” he said.