A welcoming serenade for America’s newest citizens

Philadelphia Orchestra members (from left) cellist Yumi Kendall, violist Che-Hung Chen, and violinist Julia Li take their positions to perform for newly naturalized U.S. citizens at the Citizenship and Immigration Services office in West Philadelphia on March 25. “The addition of music to the naturalization ceremonies warmed the atmosphere,” noted Inquirer music critic Peter Dobrin, who covered the ceremony. “And with pandemic safety protocols robbing the room of family or friends, there was no question that music was able to rush in where hugs might have been.”