Greenwood Interviews

Featured Alum: Brian Alverson

In 2003, we caught up with Brian Alverson, former camper (violinist) and counselor at Greenwood.

In 2006, Brian gave us an update to this interview!

What are you up to?

I'm in Philadelphia, as Chief Resident at Children's Hospital.

When did you first go to Greenwood?

I first went to Greenwood in 1985, when I was 15. My friend Sarah Clendennning's mother convinced my mom that Greenwood was a good idea. Although I wasn't sure for a week or so, Greenwood turned out to be the best place by far that I'd ever been. I stayed for ten years, first as a camper and later as a counselor. During medical school I was a counselor at Junior Greenwood.

Tell us a story about your time at Greenwood.

Once, when I was a counselor in the Barn, the Hutch counselor and I decided it was time to play a prank. We thought it would be really funny to let a chicken loose in the girls' cabin early in the morning. The first part was a little tricky: We had to convince someone to let us borrow a live chicken. We got some strange responses from people in the area about that—we didn't want to buy the chicken, just borrow it. Then we found a woman who understood what we wanted to do and was really enthusiastic. In fact, she wanted to give us a live goat instead. We were afraid a goat would eat a violin and would be too much trouble, so we decided to go with the chicken.

We put the chicken in the cabin (along with a microphone to record the reaction), but the chicken promptly went to sleep. Only when we turned on the light in the cabin did we get the response we wanted. Everyone screamed. This was great! But when we were hanging around later congratulating ourselves on a great prank, the chicken ran out the door. It turns out that the chicken is the world's fastest land animal. It was just lightning fast. It finally stuck itself in a pile of sticks and we captured it. Meanwhile, a faculty member yelled out the window at us to shut up, and said to his wife that we were trying to imitate a chicken.

What's special about Greenwood?

I'd encourage kids to go to Greenwood. It was so important to me—the camp is about many things beyond becoming a musician. It has a unique place among music camps, because it helps kids to learn to love music more than just to be a great technician, although the level of playing ability is very high. It's a great place for kids to grow up and learn to value aspects of life that aren't emphasized in other places.

I became interested in pediatrics because of Greenwood. Being a counselor there convinced me that I enjoyed working with kids and wanted to keep doing it as an adult. I want to help kids in trouble and kids who are sick.

I loved the reunion—I had great times playing Beethoven trios with Ken McIntosh.

What role does music play in your life now?

I have a quartet here in Philadelphia that gets together periodically, and we just played Brahms sextets with some other people. I ran into a bluegrass band in a park and started playing with them, so now I'm doing some fiddling too. Music is such an important part of my life now.

2006: I'm currently playing in a string quartet of amateurs about once a month. We get together at eachother's houses, and my children love to watch us play. Also, the reunion is a great opportunity to read with great friends, and I try to go every year.

Tell us about your day.

I teach residents pediatric knowledge. During the day I attend on the ward, or do administrative work, or teach conferences. In the afternoons, I go to meetings and teach residents in the clinic. Some weekends I work in the well-baby unit. I love teaching, and it's an honor to be chief resident. I'm hoping to teach at Denver Childrens Hospital, because my wife will be doing a fellowship in geriatrics in Denver next year.

2006: I'm a pediatric hospitalist at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Rhode Island. I spend most workdays caring for sick, hospitalized children and teaching the medical students and residents at Brown University. In the evenings, I go home to Barrington, RI, where I live with my wife and two wonderful daughters.