Please enjoy this Retrospective, with kind regards and best wishes from the Violins of Hope Steering Committee: Carol Adelman, Ben Eisbart, Carol Lindquist, David Lindquist, Todd Pelfrey, Jim Palermo, and Jaki Schreier.
Click here to download a full event listing.
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Strings of the Holocaust
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Thur - Fri)
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Sat)
1 - 5 p.m. (Sun)
Gallery closed: Thursday, November 28 - Friday, November 29
A special Exhibition Opening Reception will be held on November 9th from 6-8 p.m. at the Rolland Art Center.
Trained docents will be on site Mon-Wed at 12:00-2:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.; Thurs-Fri at 12:00-2:00 p.m.; Sat at 12:00-4:00 p.m.; and Sun 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Visitors are invited to view, learn, and contemplate the Violins of Hope, an exhibition of instruments that survived long, dangerous journeys of the Holocaust. Each instrument is witness to an extraordinary story and ongoing legacy.
The exhibition begins with a space that imparts basic information about Jewish history and culture, then progresses to display cases containing Strings of the Holocaust. Visitor spaces will impart a sense of respectful dignity, encouraging engagement and reflection about storied violins that will never be silenced.
A special Exhibition Opening Reception will be held on November 9th from 6-8 p.m. at the Rolland Art Center.
Information at art.sf.edu, 260.399.8064 or by email.
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
This Special Program features Jaki Schreier from the Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne and Jim Palermo from the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in discussion with Katy Anderson about the Violins of Hope project and how it came to life. Featured will be music by J. S. Bach, and Theresienstadt Ghetto composers Gideon Klein, Pavel Haas, and Hans Krása.
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
Friday, November 1, 2019 at 9:00 am and 6:00 pm
This Special Program features Troy Webdell, music director of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Symphony Symphony Orchestras in conversation with Katy Anderson previewing the November 10 concert that features Elegy for Anne Frank by Lukas Foss, Violin Concerto No. 1 by Philip Glass, and Symphony No. 3 by Erwin Schulhoff.
PrimeTime39: Violins of Hope Fort Wayne
Learn more about Violins of Hope and get a preview of the events surrounding its Fort Wayne exhibition in this conversation with project organizers Jaki Schreier, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne, and Jim Palermo, Managing Director, Fort Wayne Philharmonic. This program encores November 2, 6:30 pm and November 3, 8 pm on PBS39 Explore (39.4)
Bearing Witness: Holocaust Through the Eyes of Soldiers
George R. Mather Lecture Series
Kayleen Reusser
Noted author Kayleen Reusser has interviewed hundreds of World War II veterans and will tell stories of the Holocaust through their eyes. Shared will be stories from her three books, We Fought to Win: American World War II Veterans Share Their Stories; They Did It for Honor: Stories of American World War II Veterans; and We Gave Our Best: American World War II Veterans Tell Their Stories. Visit also kayleenreusser.com for more information about her work.
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 9:00 am and 6:00 pm
This Special Program features Dr. Carol and Dr. David Lindquist in conversation with Katy Anderson about the various Violins of Hope education and community engagement programs being presented throughout the region this November. Selections by the Klezmatics and Holocaust era works will be featured.
PBS39: Violins of Hope, Strings of the Holocaust
Violins of Hope: Strings of the Holocaust,” narrated by Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody, is a documentary featuring Israeli violinmaker Amnon Weinstein and his efforts to restore violins recovered from the Holocaust. Some were played by Jewish prisoners in concentration camps; others belonged to the Klezmer musical culture, which was all but destroyed by the Nazis.
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
Friday, November 8, 2019 at 9:00 am and 6:00 pm
This Special Program features Caleb Young, associate conductor of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in conversation with Katy Anderson about the November 14 collaborative concert entitled, Violins of Hope: Stories of Defiance, Resilience, and Legacy. Featured will be works by Beethoven, Barber, Korngold, and other traditional favorites.
PrimeTime39: Author James Grymes, “Violins of Hope”
Musicologist and author James Grymes discusses his chronicling the beautiful and haunting history of violins played by Jews in the Holocaust. “Violins of Hope: Violins of the Holocaust – Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour” received a National Jewish Book Award. This program encores November 9, 6:30 pm and November 10, 8 pm on PBS39 Explore (39.4)
Exhibition Opening Reception
A special Exhibition Opening Reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Rolland Art Center. This event is free and open to the public.
The exhibition begins with a space that imparts basic information about Jewish history and culture, then progresses to display cases containing Strings of the Holocaust. Visitor spaces will impart a sense of respectful dignity, encouraging engagement and reflection about storied violins that will never be silenced.
Information at art.sf.edu, 260.399.8064 or by email.
A Conversation with James Grymes about Violins of Hope
PBS39 President and General Manager Bruce R. Haines will moderate a book discussion that combines an interview with the author and questions from audience members about the book. Violins of Hope tells the remarkable stories of violins played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust, and of the Israeli violin maker dedicated to bringing these inspirational instruments back to life.
Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Symphony Orchestras: The Violins Live On
Troy Webdell, director
This concert features works by Jewish composers Lukas Foss, Erwin Schulhoff, and Philip Glass, all linked to the Holocaust, giving voice to the violins that have survived and lived on.
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
Opening Event: Violins of Hope
The Violins of Hope two-week commemoration of music, visual art, dance, theater, public conversation, interfaith dialogue, and educational activities officially begins with a screening of the documentary of Violins of Hope, followed by a moderated discussion with book author Dr. James Grymes and luthier Avshalom Weinstein, son of Violins of Hope founder Amnon Weinstein, led by Fort Wayne Museum of Art President & CEO Charles A. Shepard.
5 Violins from the Shoah
Monday, November 11 through Sunday, December 1, 2019
Five extraordinary violins from the Violins of Hope collection will be on display at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art from November 11-December 1: The German Star of David violin, Ponar Klezmer violin, Vilna Klezmer violin, Hakkert violin, and the Buried violin. Each tells an amazing story about the Jewish musicians who performed on them during the Holocaust, serving as a reminder about the defiance, resilience, and legacy of a people. The instruments will be on display in the main lobby and atrium. The violin exhibition is free and open to the public, but general admission applies to view the Museum's Main Exhibitions. For more information, visit fwmoa.org or violinsofhopefw.org.
EXHIBITION HOURS:
Closed (Mon)
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat)
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Thur)
12 p.m. - 5 p.m. (Sun)
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
Guitars and Violins: Tone, Wood, and Structure as Described by the Luthiers That Build Them
Two master luthiers — one specializing in violin, the other in guitar — are coming to Sweetwater to demonstrate the ways in which they approach and practice their craft. Both artisans curate, build, and painstakingly restore string instruments, creating spectacular, priceless works of art that are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the ear. This discussion will be led by guitar luthier Ren Ferguson and third-generation violinmaker Avshalom Weinstein. Musical demonstration and Q&A to follow. This event is free, but registration is requested.
Register Here
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 9:00 am and 6:00 pm
This Special Program features James Grymes, author of the book Violins of Hope: Violins of the Holocaust--Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind's Darkest Hour, in conversation with Katy Anderson. Grymes will discuss his book and experiences chronicling Amnon Weinstein's work and legacy. Featured will be Holocaust era works by Theresienstadt Ghetto composers.
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
Violins of Hope: Stories of Defiance, Resilience, and Legacy
Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Fort Wayne Ballet, Heartland Sings, Purdue Fort Wayne Choral Ensembles, Fort Wayne Children's Choir
Works by Beethoven, Barber, Korngold and others will fill the rotunda at the Allen County Courthouse. A guest speaker will weave a narrative throughout the concert, telling stories about the heroic musicians who inspired the creation of these Strings of the Holocaust.
PBS39: Eva A-7063
At 10, she survived experiments by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. At 50, she helped launch the biggest manhunt in history. Into her 80s, after decades of pain and anger, she traveled the world to promote what her life journey taught: Hope. Healing. Humanity. “Eva A-7063,” a documentary by Ted Green, Mika Brown and WFYI (Indianapolis) tells her full unvarnished story for the first time, inspiring viewers around the world.
PBS39: A Call To Remember
David Schaecter takes viewers on an emotional journey through his life story – from a bucolic childhood in Czechoslovakia to his and his brother Jakob’s struggle for survival in Auschwitz, and finally, to David’s dramatic escape from the Nazis. David, the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust, would eventually immigrate to the United States and help found the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach in hopes of educating a younger generation about World War II and the Holocaust. Through David’s story, viewers witness the cruelty of intolerance, but also the power and will of the human spirit.
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
Friday, November 15, 2019 at 9:00 am and 6:00 pm
This Special Program features Avshalom Weinstein, luthier for the Violins of Hope project in conversation with Katy Anderson. Weinstein will discuss his father's lifelong quest to honor musicians from the Holocaust, and his involvement with the Violins of Hope project. Featured will be works performed on the first concert of the Palestine Symphony Orchestra, now known as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Included are compositions by Rossini, Mendelssohn, Weber, and Brahms.
Shabbat Service
A special Shabbat service will combine traditional prayers and songs with music performed on the Violins of Hope.
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
PrimeTime39: Violins of Hope Fort Wayne – Avshalom Weinstein
Avshalom Weinstein is a third-generation violin maker and restorer. Weinstein’s paternal grandfather, Moshe, who immigrated to Israel in 1938, started to buy Holocaust violins after the war, when other Jewish immigrants, with no homes to return to, started also to make their way to Israel. Weinstein discusses the preservation work that has become known as Violins of Hope and talks of several violins brought to Fort Wayne for the exhibition and performances. This program encores November 16, 6:30 pm and November 17, 8 pm on PBS39 Explore (39.4)
Violins of Hope: Music from the Shoah
The Fort Wayne Philharmonic's premier ensemble, the Freimann String Quartet, will offer a captivating program of Holocaust era works by Korngold and Shostakovich, as well as traditional Jewish and klezmer tunes, ending with the main theme from John Williams' score to the 1993 Oscar winning film Schindler's List.
Three Rivers Choral Festival: Voices of Hope
This program will feature the Purdue Fort Wayne University Singers, Heartland Sings, Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, and other area choirs in a collaborative concert featuring David McCullough’s multi-movement work, Holocaust Cantata: Songs from the Camps. The text of every song from the cantata, originally in Polish, but sung in English, was written by prisoners held in the concentrations camps of Nazi Germany's Third Reich. This reverent and powerful joint concert will feature over 100 singers in the Auer Performance Hall at the Rhinehart Music Center.
The Klezmatics
The Klezmatics are globally renowned world music superstars—and the only klezmer band to win a Grammy award. The group emerged out of the vibrant cultural scene of New York City’s East Village in 1986 with klezmer performances steeped in the tradition and spirituality of Eastern European Jewish roots. Their music is wild, mystical, provocative, reflective, and ecstatically danceable.
Performance made possible by support from the Journal Gazette Foundation.
Researching Victims and Survivors: Holocaust Genealogy
Lecture by Megan Lewis of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Presented by Northeast Indiana Jewish Genealogy Society
Megan Lewis is a well-known reference librarian at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum who will present a lecture about how to use unique genealogical resources to research family history. Source materials from the personal collections of Holocaust survivors and victims, and letters and official documents such as passports and diplomas, extensive photograph archives, and oral histories can provide clues about how to trace Holocaust victims, survivors, and family members.
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
Defiance: Screening of the Movie, Starring Daniel Craig
In 1941 the SS is slaughtering thousands of Eastern European Jews. The Bielski brothers, Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber), and Asael (Jamie Bell), manage to escape and take refuge in the forest where they played during childhood. The brothers turn their daily struggle for survival into a battle against the German forces that have occupied their country, with over a thousand others joining the fray. Journalist Assaela Weinstein, daughter of Asael Bielski, one of the Bielski partisans immortalized in Defiance, is the wife of Violins of Hope founder Amnon Weinstein. Please return tomorrow, Tuesday, November 19, for a panel discussion about the Bielski Partisans featuring noted experts, including Asael Bielski's grandson, Avshalom Weinstein.
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Perspectives on Defiance: The Courage of the Bielski Partisans
A panel of noted Holocaust scholars examines the movie Defiance and the Bielski Partisans who triumphed in saving over 1,200 souls. Dr. David Lindquist, associate professor emeritus in the Educational Studies Department at IPFW, Museum Teacher Fellow and Regional Museum Educator with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Dr. Barry Jackisch, specialist in modern German history, and Dr. Ann Livschiz, associate professor, PFW, specialist in Soviet and Eastern European history, are joined by Avshalom Weinstein, Violins of Hope luthier and grandson of partisan Asael Bielski. The panel will discuss the German invasion, death squads, Partisan response, and the unique perspective of the legendary Bielski family.
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at 9:00 am and 6:00 pm
This Special Program features Andrew Constantine, music director of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in conversation with Katy Anderson. Constantine will discuss the final concert of the Violins of Hope project, his thoughts about the meaning of the Violins of Hope project, and its affects on the community. Featured will be works by Walter Bricht, Mendelssohn, John Williams, and Mahler.
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
Jewish-Catholic Prayer Service
Rabbi Paula Jayne Winnig from Congregation Achduth Vesholom joins Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, in a prayer service that focuses on the beauty of the Psalms, and the religious connections shared and revered by the Jewish people and Catholics. Music will be performed on the Violins of Hope, with selections from both Jewish and Catholic faith traditions.
Learn More
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
Culinary Diplomacy: A Melody of Jewish Foods
Jewish life revolves around the dining table. Ceremonies and celebrations involving food link the cultural and religious symbolism of the Jewish people, from Shabbat meals and the High Holidays to local favorites savored by families near and far. This special dinner merges favorite recipes from Eastern and Western Europe dedicated to musicians of the Holocaust. Melding Jewish foods with the art of diplomacy beautifully pairs with the legacy of the Violins of Hope being presented in Fort Wayne between November 9–23.
The Pianist
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II.
94.1 WBNI Special Violins of Hope Program
Friday, November 22, 2019 at 9:00 am and 6:00 pm
This Special Program features Jaki Schreier from the Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne and Jim Palermo from the Fort Wayne Philharmonic in discussion with Katy Anderson about the culmination of the Violins of Hope project. Featured will be music by Henryk Górecki and Dmitri Shostakovich.
Fort Wayne Philharmonic: Violins of Hope
Closing Concert
Andrew Constantine, conductor
Igor Yuzefovich, violin
Sixteen violins that survived the Holocaust. Three composers banned by the Nazis. Violins of Hope tell stories of defiance, resilience, and legacy, a testament to the power of music.
Bricht – Verwehte Blätter, Op. 18b (8 Small Pieces for Orchestra)
Mendelssohn – Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
Williams – Main Theme from Schindler’s List
Mahler – Symphony No. 1 in D major, “Titan”