The Nashville Symphony is presenting a serious and historically poignant project: the Violins of Hope. This collection of over two dozen instruments was played by Jewish musicians in concentration camps and throughout World War II. Now, they are played to honor those who lost their lives and to remind us never to repeat the horrors of the past.

The Nashville Symphony’s Guerrero Conducts the Violins of Hope concerts on March 22, 23 and 24 will feature works by Schumann and Barber as well as John Williams’ excerpts from Schindler’s List (1993) and the world premiere of a newly commissioned symphony by American composer Jonathan Leshnoff. Leshnoff, instrument makers and Violins of Hope founder Amnon Weinstein will be in attendance for the concerts along with a Q&A session, and the new piece will be recorded and released worldwide through Naxos.

“We know that arts organizations and community partners are much stronger doing things together than specifically focusing just on ourselves,” said NSO COO Brosvik. The NSO partnered with over 25 community organizations including the Nashville Ballet, Frist Center for the Visual Arts and Blair School of Music.

“It’s been really heartening because every organization that we have talked with about maybe becoming a potential partner has jumped on board immediately,” said Brosvik.

The Violins of Hope events will independently take place around the city but work to spread the same message. According to Brosvik, the idea for the NSO to take on this important project came after their Vice President of Marketing, Dan Grossman, visited the exhibit in Cleveland.

February 18-25, 2018

by Claire Barnett

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