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Violins of Hope

Category: Event Calendar

Dates and Times

  • Friday, May 15, 2026  11am
  • Saturday, May 16, 2026  7pm
  • Sunday, May 17, 2026  2pm

Location & Parking

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
345 Washington St

Details

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This powerful program features violins once played by Holocaust survivors, each instrument carrying a story of resilience, loss and hope. Through music inspired by Jewish traditions, the concert honors memory while lifting the spirit. The program includes stirring string solos and a performance of Shostakovich’s Quartet, featuring SPCO’s principal string players. It’s a deeply moving experience that brings together beauty, reverence, and the enduring fortitude of human expression — an unforgettable tribute to the past and a celebration of strength. The instruments of Violins of Hope will be on display for the program.

This inspiring initiative is presented by the Minnesota JCC and made possible through the generous support of individuals, organizations, and agencies dedicated to Holocaust education and the transformative power of music. For information about Violins of Hope, presented by the Minnesota JCC, visit ViolinsofHopeMN.org.

About Violins of Hope

Israeli violinmakers, Amnon (z”l) and Avshalom Weinstein, have spent the last 20 years collecting and repairing 70 Holocaust-era violins and other stringed instruments from around the world, some with the Star of David on the back and others with names and dates inscribed within the instrument. Together, they have lovingly located and restored the violins to reclaim their lost heritage, give voice to the victims, and reinforce essential messages of hope, harmony, and humanity. Violins of Hope has been featured in books, print, film, and television. They have been used in lectures and educational programs worldwide, exhibited in museums, and triumphantly played in concert halls around the globe. Through performances, exhibitions, and educational series, the instruments have impacted and inspired hundreds of thousands of people of all ages. Violins of Hope has traveled across the globe and has been featured in Rome, Tel Aviv, London, Washington D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and many other cities.