Pacific Symphony musicians play during CdM blood drive

Any nerves of being poked with a needle were likely calmed by some Beethoven during a blood drive Wednesday afternoon in Corona del Mar.

With Pacific Symphony musicians in one corner and medical equipment in the other, some 60 people came, heard and donated during the third annual Musical Blood and Marrow Drive at Newport Center United Methodist Church.

The music of Dvorak and Schubert was also among the selections that helped serenade the donors, who gave 49 pints of viable blood to the American Red Cross, said Pacific Symphony violinist Nancy Eldridge in an email.

In addition, she said four people signed up with Be the Match, an organization that registers donors who can provide bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplants for patients afflicted with conditions including leukemia or lymphoma.

“By all accounts, the day was a success,” Eldridge said, adding that the day was a “wonderful way to combine our music with work that will help save up to 147 lives.”

— Bradley Zint

Twitter: @BradleyZint