On February 15, the Jacksonville Symphony invites the community to experience the transformative power of music with Violins of Hope: Building Bridges Through the Power of Music in Jacoby Symphony Hall. Led by Music Director Courtney Lewis, this performance features violins that once belonged to Holocaust victims. These instruments carry profound stories of resilience, creating an unforgettable evening of music and memory.
The instruments featured in Violins of Hope have been lovingly restored by Amnon and Avshi Weinstein who have preserved not only their physical beauty but also the powerful legacies of those who once played them. Before the performance, guests can explore an exhibit of over 60 of these historic instruments in the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts lobby, each telling a story of courage, loss and hope. During the concert, all Jacksonville Symphony violinists will perform on these extraordinary instruments, joined by Principal Violist Yun-Ting Kuo and Principal Cellist Alexei Romanenko, who will also play on a restored viola and cello.
The concert opens with “We Remember Them,” an original piece composed by Jacksonville Symphony Chorus Director Donald McCullough. Sung by the Symphony Chorus, the piece is set to poignant text by Sylvan Kamens and Rabbi Jack Riemer, reminding audiences of the importance of memory:
“In the rising of the sun and in its going down, we remember them.
In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter, we remember them.
In the opening of buds and in the rebirth of spring, we remember them.
In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer, we remember them.”
Performed by the Jacksonville Symphony Chorus, this stirring work creates a foundation for the evening’s themes of remembrance.
John Williams’ Theme from Schindler’s List follows, with Concertmaster Adelya Nartadjieva delivering its violin solos. Her performance continues with Ernest Bloch’s Nigun from Baal Shem and Affirmation from Suite hébraïque. These works, rich with Jewish cultural and spiritual undertones, evoke profound emotions through their melodies.
Selections from Jonathan Leshnoff’s Requiem for the Fallen follows, blending sacred Jewish and Christian texts. The musicians of the Symphony and Symphony Chorus performs Kaddish and Prayer of St. Francis, bridging faith traditions with lines such as:
“Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is despair, hope.”
Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms follows, offering a sense of calm and unity. Its setting of Psalm 131 and Psalm 133 speaks to the themes of humility and brotherhood with lines such as:
“Behold how good,
And how pleasant it is,
For brethren to dwell
Together in unity.”
Jessie Montgomery’s Soul Force, a single-movement symphonic piece that seeks to capture the essence of a voice striving to break free from the chains of oppression and be heard, adds another powerful voice to the evening. The performance concludes with the majestic Finale from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter,” an enduring masterpiece symbolizing hope and triumph.
Selected readings curated by the Symphony’s Violins of Hope Advisory Council, comprised of local leaders, educators and descendants of Holocaust survivors, will be read between each piece, adding layers of story and emotion.
Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime special event in the Jacksonville Symphony’s 75th Anniversary Season. For tickets and additional program details, visit JaxSymphony.org.
