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Thank you, Secretary Thompson. I appreciate your hospitality. Thanks to you and to everyone at Health and Human Services for hosting this concert.

I want to join in welcoming the St. Malachy’s College Orchestra. This is a fine orchestra from a wonderful school. These young men are outstanding ambassadors for Northern Ireland, for classical music and for Irish music. I am very pleased that they will perform for us today.

I should tell the members of the orchestra that Washington is a musical town. We are proud of our musical heritage: Francis Scott Key, Duke Ellington, Eva Cassidy and many other musicians have made their mark here. This is a city that helped give birth to jazz and the blues. We are a center for bluegrass and country. Washington is well-known for rock and rap. We are a home for classical music, with a special place in our hearts for the National Symphony Orchestra. And Washington loves—passionately loves—Irish music. Whether on the metro, at Constitution Hall, or in a pub, people in Washington seriously and knowledgeably discuss and evaluate Irish music. So you are most welcome.

I would also like to mention Father Gerard Magee. Father Magee is an inspirational leader and a fine scholar. You may know that his background is in music and philosophy. Father Magee knows that the Ancient Greeks thought music itself came from the gods, and Mozart and Miles Davis proved them right. The Greeks thought harmonics were an example of eternal truth, and Beethoven and Count Basie gave us some of that truth. Music is an expression of the eternal, an examination of the human condition, and a statement of hope and faith in God and man. Father Magee brings his wisdom to the podium, uniting music and education in a magical moment of sound and insight.

As secretary of education, I have encouraged musical scholarship in our schools. You see, I think we learn about each other by listening to Brahms and Borodin. We share cultures when we appreciate Strauss or Stravinsky. And we see directly into the soul of man whenever we hear Irish music.

And I must confess a secret. As a trombone player, I have a weakness for the brass section. Yes, the strings are always elegant. The percussion may be unforgettably passionate. But let’s face it, the brass section puts a shine on any piece of music. Whether Mozart or Miles Davis, I’m always rooting for the horns. And I hear the horn section in this orchestra can wail.

Again, my thanks to Secretary Thompson, Father Magee and the St. Malachy’s College Orchestra. This is a wonderful event. Thank you all for coming.

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