Kendall Square Orchestra's SYMPHONY FOR SCIENCE Returns To Symphony Hall In May

On Sunday May 11, Kendall Square Orchestra (K2O), a volunteer ensemble of musicians from Boston's world-renowned science and technology community, will present its fifth Symphony for Science, transforming Symphony Hall into a stage for powerful stories and soaring music. 

Featuring violinist and social innovator Julie Leven alongside acclaimed author and keynote speaker Kevin F. Adler, the concert will shine a spotlight on the urgent realities of homelessness, raising critical funds and inspiring collective action for Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), a health care network throughout Greater Boston that provides health care to the homeless and formerly homeless individuals and families. Tickets are on sale now at symphonyforscience.org. 

Symphony for Science is a bi-annual benefit concert that embodies the spirit of innovation and compassion.  K2O brings together local corporate sponsors, community organizations, and audiences to raise awareness, funds, and hope for critical causes in healthcare and STEM education.  Since its inception in spring 2019, the Kendall Square Orchestra has been the driving force behind Symphony for Science, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to amplify and support essential causes in healthcare and STEM education.

The concert program includes the first movement of Franz Schubert's haunting Death and the Maiden Quartet, and Mozart's vibrant Violin Concerto No. 3, Mvt. I, performed by renowned violinist Julie Leven,  the Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of Shelter Music Boston (SMB). According to K²O Music Director Kristo Kondakçi, these pieces were selected specifically for their profound expression of resilience, human connection, and hope.

 “Schubert and Mozart vividly embody the message at the heart of our concert,” Kondakçi explained. “Schubert himself lived on the edge of homelessness, sustained only by the generosity of friends who offered shelter, food, and support. Their compassion enabled him to continue composing, illustrating how powerful community connection can be. His story — and Mozart's own struggles with financial hardship — remind us that music can illuminate pathways toward empathy, dignity, and meaningful change.

“Mozart also faced profound financial instability in his final years, struggling to secure steady patronage and, at times, even a place to call home,” Kondakçi continued.  “Yet his music remained a source of light, offering warmth, joy, and a profound sense of humanity—qualities that shine through his Third Violin Concerto.”

The orchestra will also perform Antonin Dvořák's iconic New World Symphony and Reena Esmail's RE/Member,  described by the composer as “a chance to explore what the world has gone through.”   

Along with her pioneering work with SMB, Julie Leven performs regularly as a violinist with the acclaimed Handel and Haydn Society. She was honored as the first-ever classical musician to receive the Boston Neighborhood Fellow award  (2014) and was recognized as a Social Innovator by the nationally renowned nonprofit accelerator Social Innovation Forum (2013). Her distinguished performance career includes extensive touring with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra across the US, Japan, and Korea , as well as appearances at renowned international festivals such as the BBC Proms, Casals Festival, Edinburgh Festival, and the Krakow/Warsaw Beethoven Festival. 

Joining K2O for this special performance is The Women's Chorus (TWC), founded in 2018 by David McCue and Kristo Kondakçi in partnership with Women's Lunch Place. Dedicated to empowering women experiencing homelessness and poverty through music, TWC has welcomed more than 100 women, creating not just a choir, but a powerful community that offers dignity, healing, and a lifeline of support. The chorus will perform works with themes that articulate the heart of homelessness through music.  

In addition to performances by the orchestra and musical guests, three distinguished speakers will share their insights on the challenges of providing healthcare to homeless individuals in the community.  

Keynote speaker Kevin F. Adler is an award-winning social entrepreneur and the author of the new book, When We Walk By, a guide for ending homelessness in America. Since 2014, Kevin has served as the Founder and CEO of Miracle Messages, a nonprofit that helps people experiencing homelessness rebuild their social support systems and financial security through family reunification services, a phone buddy program, and the first basic income pilot for unhoused individuals in the US.  That program is backed by Google.org and is part of a $2.1 million randomized control trial led by researchers at USC. Kevin's pioneering work on homelessness and relational poverty has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, Los Angeles Times, CNN, on a billboard in Times Square, in his TED Talk, and in his groundbreaking (and hopeful) new book.

Dr. Howard K. Koh is Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and serves as the inaugural chair of the Chan School's Initiative on Health and Homelessness.  From 2009-2014, Dr. Koh was the 14th Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  During that time, he oversaw 12 core public health offices and served as senior public health advisor to the HHS Secretary.  

Dr. Jim O'Connell finished his residency in 1985, and he planned to spend “a year of giving back.”  He became the founding physician of the new Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program.  For almost 40 years, O'Connell has served in a number of positions including as National Program Director of the Homeless Families Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Dr. O'Connell is the president of BHCHP, this year's Symphony for Science recipient.

Since its founding in 1985, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program has been guided by a simple mission - to provide and assure access to the highest quality health care for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Their services provide comprehensive healthcare, including primary care, behavioral health services, dental care, case management, and a dedicated "street team" focused on reaching people living on the streets.  BHCHP's dedicated teams provide life-saving care to 10,000 individuals annually. With their pioneering 104-bed medical respite facility and comprehensive health services, BHCHP restores dignity, fosters healing, and brings hope to those who need it most.

About Kendall Square Orchestra 

Founded in 2018 and based in Cambridge, MA, the Kendall Square Orchestra (K2O) is a volunteer classical music ensemble of primarily science & technology professionals. K2O connects nearly 90 classically trained musicians working across over 50 diverse organizations in the academic and corporate community of Kendall Square through music, to spark innovation and support causes related to healthcare, education, and equity.  With its guiding mantra of Orchestrate. Collaborate. Innovate., K2O has performed everywhere from biotech conferences and Cambridge city parks to Symphony Hall in Boston. 

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