Gary Daum founded the NIHCO in 1996 as an adjunct to his activities on the chaplain’s Sunday program at the NIH Clinical Center. It started as a sing-along of parts of The Messiah with string accompaniment, and eventually grew to a full Messiah sing-along at NIH’s Masur Auditorium. This continued until September 11, 2001, when all access to the NIH Campus was cut off. Gary and the board worked tirelessly to find alternate sites for rehearsals and the orchestra concerts. Gary was also a longtime Georgetown Preparatory School faculty member, and Georgetown Prep provided that venue for many years, in exchange for the orchestra brass playing the faculty Christmas celebration and the Prep graduation.
Gary wrote a memorial orchestra and vocal piece for 9/11 called Psalm 9:11, performed on several occasions in Montgomery County. He also arranged several works by Handel and others for strings, brass, or full orchestra. He performed with other Prep staff and orchestra members at annual gatherings performing Dylan, The Beatles, and a host of other groups. 
Gary Daum passed away Feb. 2, 2019; several longtime orchestra members offered their own heartfelt tributes and attended his memorial services. At NIHCO’s March 2019 concert, the group performed in Gary’s memory Nimrod, from Edward Elgar’s Engima Variations. The most famous variation of Elgar’s work, Nimrod was composed with his friend Augustus J. Jaeger in mind. Nimrod refers to an Old Testament patriarch described as “a mighty hunter before the Lord,” and Jäger is German for hunter. Jaeger, music editor for the London publisher Novello & Co., often offered Elgar artistic guidance and encouragement. The movement is meant to evoke a warm conversation between longtime friends.
Gary will be sorely missed as our founder, organizer, and champion. Besides music, Gary also taught photography: the tribute wall below was set up in Georgetown Prep’s Haas Building, which also houses the Figge Theater, where NIHCO performed for many years.
In Fall 2022, Gary’s widow Mary Daum inaugurated NIHCO’s Community Liaison role, preserving his legacy on our Board; and serving with distinction as a community-builder, including greeting concert patrons at our Welcome Table!