Lifestyle

Professional Violinist Plays for Mourning San Antonio Community

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Violinist Fred Masinter was asked to play at Detective Benjamin Marconi’s memorial outside of the Public Safety Headquarters where the community has gathered to grieve. Javier Hernandez requested that the professional violinist play a selection called “Sad Violin” that he found on YouTube. Masinter learned the music by ear and played for free, even though not he nor Hernandez knew Marconi personally.

Masinter told KSAT that when he was young, he felt embarrassed to cry and express emotion. “So I’d pick up the violin and let my violin do my crying. It’s always been an expression of emotion,” he explained.

The somber violin music helped to release emotion for many who stood at the memorial decorated with flowers and messages left to the fallen officer. It’s a good reminder that no matter who we are, we can reach out to one another as community members to recognize senseless acts of violence and then rebuild.

San Antonio Police Officer Doug Greene expressed his thoughts during the memorial service days earlier. “Just your presence here means a lot,” he told the crowd of citizens and officers. “Sometimes as officers, we feel that people don’t care. We see a lot. We love our community, and we’re willing to put our lives on the line for our community in a heartbeat.”