Photo by Don Hanley

Dr. David “Dave” Jones, Ph.D., has a story that speaks to a vast majority of musicians, namely the pursuit of a profession outside the arts, but a profession shaped by his experience within the arts; Dave is currently the Chief of Dermatology at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. As a youth growing up in Alabama and later Boston, Dave found the culture of wind instrument performance to be strong and appealing, picking up the French horn at an early age. He continued to perform throughout childhood and high school. However, after accepting a position in medical school, he found it difficult to continue to play his horn, putting it away but never selling. After a 12-year hiatus, he felt the urge to play again and has since kept his horn occupied; Dave plays regularly with the New Philharmonia Orchestra in Newton. Dave was adamant to spread the word among BYSO alumni, “It is never too late to pick back up your instrument. It is never too late to feel that sense of accomplishment and expressiveness again!”

Last year Dave’s son David graduated from the BYSO program, having played oboe in several of our orchestras for four years. The shared experience of going through the BYSO program has meant a great deal to Dave and his family. Primarily, the BYSO experience has instilled a sense of accomplishment, of becoming acquainted with success, and has instilled in them the confidence to tackle any discipline at a high level.

In addition to giving back to BYSO financially, Dave has been serving on the BYSO Council, a group of engaged community members who encourage and support various BYSO efforts and projects.