Stuart Hirsch

stuhirsch@comcast.net

After leaving Shaker I attended Ohio State University where I received a B.Sc. in medical microbiology. I then attend the OSU medical school and graduated in 1968 with an M.D. degree. During undergraduate school I played clarinet in band and the orchestra. Between 1968 and 1976 I was in medical post graduate training. I interned at the Philadelphia General Hospital, Penn Service. I then moved next door to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Ophthalmology for my residency. I completed my residency at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC and then did a project at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. My area of interest was Microwave Biological Effects on the Eye. I was also stationed briefly at Ft. Meade.

In July of 1976 our family moved to Yardley, PA and I started my practice of ophthalmology and ophthalmologic surgery. Our group, Eye Associates of Bucks County, PA is expanding and I am still active in surgery and medical ophthalmology. I have affiliations at the Wills Eye Hospital and Scheie Eye Institute, U of P, in Philadelphia

I have the same hobbies now that I have had since childhood. I am active in music and in photography. I have had the opportunity to play clarinet in concerts several times a year with members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. I was recently invited to play in the World Doctors Orchestra that was formed in 2007 in Berlin. This years concert will be held in Bethesda MD on 9/11 featuring the Mahler Second Symphony

http://www.world-doctors-orchestra.org/

My wife, Ellin, and I enjoy attending concerts of the Philadelphia Orchestra in Philadelphia, and of the Boston Symphony in Lenox, MA, during the summers. We also enjoy traveling and visiting our children and grandchild.

On 9-11-11 I played clarinet in the Mahler Symphony #2 with the World Doctors Orchestra in Washington, D C. Barbara Katz and Lynne Selker attended the concert and it was great seeing them again after the reunion.

Shortly after the concert, I was invited to participate in another session with the World Doctors Orchestra. This time we will be playing the Schubert Symphony #9, The Great, in South Africa. We have three concerts: Johannesberg,Cape Town and Elandsdoorn. If anyone has friends in South Africa, let me know. The trip looks like fun but also looks quite difficult.

Recently returned from South Africa. The trip was amazing. The World Doctors Orchestra played three concerts after 2 1/2 days of rehearsal in Cape Town. I had time for sight seeing in both Cape Town and Johannesberg. The highlight of the trip was a day in Elandsdoorn, SA. Elandsdoorn is a small town about 2 hours northwest of Joberg. 50% of the population is HIV positive. The Hugo Templeman clinic is located there. Dr. Hugo Templeman started a clinic about 20 years ago when he left Holland. We had a tour of the clinic and then played the first classical concert with the World Doctors Orchestra at the Miricle Theater.
We also played some African music arranged for the orchestra in addition to a new work, The Healing Melody, written for the orchestra. The last few days were spent in a game reserve observing animals.

Update: July 15, 2015

Since writing we have a new grandson, Colin, who is now 2 1/2years old. I stopped doing intra-ocular surgery a few years ago when a new associate joined our practice. Recently I cut down to 3 days/ week in the office when a second associate joined the practice.
Musically I have had two more trips with the World Doctors Orchestra. Last Fall, I traveled to Chile where we played concerts in Santiago and Valparaiso. My wife Ellin, and my brother and sister in law joined me on the trip. We spent a week in Mendoza, Argentina. following the week with the orchestra. Recently I returned from Seattle and Vancouver B.C. where we played 3 concerts.
Ellin and I are heading to Madrid, Spain in a week for the International Clarinet Association meeting, ClariFest. This will be my first ICA meeting out of the country.
All is well with our family. Ryder starts kindergarten this Fall. Colin will go to pre-school and Sydney age 3.5 years also starts a "Science" pre school.
Ellin just had a big birthday. We celebrated in South Carolina this past April with the whole family.
One last musical item. I am playing in a chamber music week at Belvoir Terrace in Lenox. Mass at the end of August. The program is called ArtsAhimsa. .
Quick update: We have a new grandson, Jacob, born Jan 21,2016 to Amanda and Jon

I am going to be playing once again with the World Doctors Orchestra. The concerts are in October 2016 in San Francisco:
October 8th and 9th. San Francisco Conservatory

My favorite funny memory involved my chemistry teacher, Alfred Lata. Al was also our Shakerite photography advisor. One day the class was more than usually undisciplined ... Al told the class that "the next person to talk" would be sent to the principal's office.
Alfred was doing a demonstration of how gas would flow up a pipe of plastic. He put the plastic pipe, about 5 feet in length, on top of a bunsen burner and turned on the gas. He then stood up on the chemistry bench holding a Fisher Burner in his right hand. He then lit the burner, holding it high to light the end of the pipe. I, of course, could not let the moment pass without commenting on how he looked like the Statue of Liberty. The moment was just right. The class cracked up! I then had a visit with Principal Rupp. Later that day, as photography advisor, Mr. Lata told me that he thought that line was great, just at the wrong time.

Other fond memories involve playing in the band under F.E. Hammond. During senior year Dick Shaw and I talked F.E. into allowing us to design the formations for the Heights game . We also asked him not to be involved in the rehearsals. During the game, the band moved into an FE formation and a tribute was done to FE for all of his years at Shaker. He was surprised and touched. We never did find out who on the faculty helped in reassuring FE that things were going smoothly for the game.

I am looking forward to seeing (old) friends and learning about your lives. Let's start from where we left off in 1961. It is hard to deny that the years have passed by so quickly.