For the Smithsonian Institution’s 175th Anniversary celebration on August 10, 2021, the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society performed “The Red Priest of Venice,” a concerto in G minor for two cellos and strings, by the 18th century composer Antonio Vivaldi. The instruments used in the performance are normally housed at the National Museum of American History.

In the introduction to the performance, Anthea Hartig, the Elizabeth MacMillan Director of the Smithsonian’s NMAH, said the instruments had a combined age of over 2,000 years.  

To safely transport these important artifacts from NMAH to the Castle where the performance took place, Watch Commander Perry Singletary reported ahead of schedule. Blankets were placed in the back of the van for the safety of the instruments, and they were positioned so as not to shift during transport. The six performers were also escorted by WC Singletary to their destination. He said the move itself only took about three minutes from one place to the other.  

“I enjoy providing safety and security for the Smithsonian artifacts, staff, and the visitors,” WC Singletary said. “I’m always excited about doing my job.” 

The special event, including the performance by the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society, can be viewed online athttps://www.si.edu/175.