Documentary

Ron Appel, The Voice of Science

By Nadia Fares and Corinne Portier

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Program notes

When it came to making a choice between becoming a professional baritone or a scientist, Ron Appel had to make difficult decision. In the end he chose science, but not wanting to give up on his true passion, this director of the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics has juggled his two lives.

His days begin with an hour of vocal exercizes to prepare for his concerts. Music and science are both demanding career paths, each requiring hard work and diligence. Appel spends his days analyzing protein, and in the evening transforms into a singer, performing between two to seven times per year.

“I focus on the music if there is an audience, otherwise I focus on technique,” he confides to Corinne Porter. “Singing in public gives me sense of freedom that I do not find anywhere else.” Shy and introverted, through singing, Ron Appel found a way to “come out of his shell and find self-assurance”. This documentary respectfully traces the life of a man of science, his story, beginning with the cello and his love of music.

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