WASHINGTON —
For more than a half century, Jan Dash and Robert Marcus lost touch. The two men had been friends in childhood having both attended the same California music camps and trainings. But eventually the pair went their separate ways.
“Our paths just diverged,” Marcus said.
Dash went into the field of physics while Marcus practiced medicine. Although they never kept in contact with one another, they each continued their lifelong hobby of playing the clarinet. And in 2017, it was music that finally brought the pair together once again.
“It was serendipity,” Dash said.
Dash and Marcus happened to be attending the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra one night when they ran into one another in the theater lobby.
“And there was Bob,” Dash recalled with a laugh. “It was great.”
The two estimate they hadn’t seen each other in more than 50 years. They rekindled their friendship and now live just miles apart from one another with their wives. Marcus currently lives in Washington D.C. while Dash resides in Maryland.
“I was delighted because it meant I would have someone to play with,” Marcus said.
In addition to practicing classical music together on an almost weekly basis, the pair started performing for seniors in assisted living. Together, their shows have made a profound impact.
“It’s very powerful,” Dash said. “[Music] can go across many decades and it never goes away.”
This story is part of WUSA9’s ongoing series “The Heart of It”, which highlights inspiring and emotional stories from the DMV and beyond. If you have a story suggestion for Sean Martinelli, you can email TheHeartOfIt@wusa9.com