Violins that survived the Holocaust to be played, exhibited at Illinois State Museum
Six violins played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust will be on display in Springfield.
The Illinois State Museum has partnered with the Jewish Federation of Springfield to present the “Violins of Hope: A Celebration of Survival” exhibit and a recital series that starts today and continues through Sept. 13.
“These violins survived the Holocaust and were restored by father and son violin makers, Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein, who work in Tel Aviv,” said Nancy Sage, executive director at the Jewish Federation of Springfield. “Each violin has its own story and it signifies hope, resilience, and survival during a very dark period that was generated totally by hate.”
Along with the six violins on display, an additional six that were saved and restored will be played during the series that features an opening lecture and concert at the museum today at 6:30 p.m.
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Two historic violins will be played during the opening concert, the Auschwitz Violin, which was originally held by a prisoner who played in the men's orchestra at the Auschwitz concentration camp and survived, and a 120-year-old hand-made Klezmer violin with a mother-of-pearl Star of David.
“Imagine the sound of violins playing while people suffered in a concentration camp, likely waiting to be murdered. These violins have great significance and we’re bringing them to Springfield because we believe they embody the spirit of perseverance that resonates among all cultures and communities here,” Sage said.
Yona Stamatis, an associate professor of ethnomusicology and the director of the University of Illinois Springfield's music program, will be the featured speaker during the opening lecture at the museum. She will be accompanied by violinist Katrin Stamatis, viola player Lisa Nelson, and cellist Jacobsen Woollen.
“My grandfather was a holocaust survivor and in our family, we have one of the violins of hope so the opening event will be a lecture and concert where I tell the story about my grandfather and the violin,” Stamatis said. “We will talk about what it means when we remember something like the Holocaust, the role that music plays, and there will be a string trio who will play musical selections relevant to the Holocaust throughout the lecture.”
Six concerts, organized by the Jewish Federation, are scheduled to take place throughout the community in the seven-day series. The concerts are free and open to the public. Visit www.shalomspringfield.org/community-calendar for location details.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Holocaust era violins are on display at Illinois State Museum
