Violins of Hope, a collection of violins and other stringed instruments previously owned by Holocaust victims, arrived at West Virginia University for events honoring the instruments and the people who played them.
Exhibit visitors learned the stories of the violins and the tragedies behind them.
More than 20 violins from the collection were on display in the Nutting Gallery at the Erickson Alumni Center from October 1-14. Students, faculty and guest artists played the violins and hosted events in regional community centers, concert halls and houses of worship.
During the Holocaust, these instruments were often the only item victims were allowed to keep in concentration camps, and in many cases, only the instruments survived.
Violins were restored in Amnon Weinstein's workshop
The late Amnon Weinstein began Violins of Hope with his father, Moshe Weinstein's collection. Moshe was a luthier who fled from Poland to British Palestine at the start of World War II. He set up a violin shop and purchased unwanted German-made violins, believing the instruments shouldn’t suffer due to their makers' actions. After the war, he began collecting the surviving instruments of Jewish victims who died during the Holocaust.
Violins on Display in the Nutting Gallery
Avshi Weinstein, Amnon’s son, continues his father and grandfather’s legacy through Violins of Hope and and visited WVU during the exhibition. Jay Grymes, author of the book “Violins of Hope,” participated in the events.
Mikylah Myers, Associate Dean of Research and Creative Activity at the WVU College of Creative Arts and Media and nationally recognized violinist, helped bring Violins of Hope to WVU and was a participating instrumentalist.
"The WVU Violins of Hope project was an incredibly moving experience," Myers said. "Our students and colleagues brought the violins' voices alive in concerts from Keyser to Morgantown to Wheeling. Playing on the beautiful instruments, each with its own story intertwining deep sadness and inspirational hope, was an honor of my lifetime."
Local performances concluded with a performance of the West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra, with musicians from the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, featuring all of the violins.
Performance photos, courtesy of WVU Symphony Orchestra