What Is Violins of Hope
Violins of Hope is a global project built around a private collection of 70 violins, viola and cello connected to Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust.Played in concerts and showcased in exhibits and educational programs worldwide, the instruments allow music to carry forward stories of resilience and remembrance for today.These instruments were collected and lovingly restored by Israeli violin maker Amnon Weinstein.His son, Avshalom Weinstein, continues the work, restoring instruments and bringing Violins of Hope to audiences around the world.The first Violins of Hope concert was performed in 2008 in Jerusalem. The violins have traveled to and been played in major cities in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Mexico, England, Romania, Poland and the United States. It is a great honor to have musicians performing with these instruments in lowa.
Violins of Hope: A Musical Witness to History
In School Outreach Presentations Across Siouxland
April 13-29
As part of Tolerance Week, these in-school presentations bring the message of Violins of Hope directly to 6th and 7th grade students. Led by musicians of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, each 30–40 minute visit combines live music, guided conversation, and the opportunity for students to see and hear historically significant instruments up close and in person. Throughout each visit, music is performed on instruments from the Violins of Hope collection, allowing students to encounter history through sound as well as story.Through sound, reflection, and dialogue, students engage with themes of resilience, humanity, and remembrance in an age-appropriate and deeply meaningful way. These intimate classroom experiences are designed to make history tangible and to encourage empathy, curiosity, and thoughtful discussion.
Sioux City Tolerance Week
April 20-27
Violins of Hope Sioux City events, concerts, and educational offerings are completely underwritten by supporters who understand the importance of removing barriers and ensuring that people of every age, background, and neighborhood can engage with powerful stories and experiences. The programs are fully accessible to the entire community, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of donors who believe in the mission of Tolerance Week and the Sioux City Tolerance Alliance. This donor-supported model reflects the Alliance’s commitment to reaching all corners of Siouxland, strengthening understanding, compassion, and connection throughout the community. https://tolerancealliance.org/about-us-2-3-2/
Violins of Hope: 8th-Grade Educational Concert at Orpheum Theatre, Sioux City
A Morning of Music, History, and Reflection for Siouxland Students
Wednesday, April 22 from 9:30-10:45am at Orpheum Theatre, Sioux City
This special morning concert brings thousands of 8th-grade students together for a shared educational experience presented as part of Violins of Hope during Tolerance Week. With special guests alongside the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, the program features music by composers such as Pavel Haas, Gideon Klein, and Ilse Weber, whose lives and work were shaped by the Holocaust. The program is performed on instruments from the Violins of Hope collection, offering students a rare opportunity to hear these historic violins in a live orchestral setting.Through live performance, storytelling, and reflection, students encounter history through human stories of creativity, loss, and resilience. Designed specifically for middle school learners, Music, History, and Reflection offers a meaningful and age-appropriate introduction to why remembrance matters.
Violins of Hope at the Orpheum Theatre, Sioux City Presented on behalf of the Sioux City Tolerance Alliance and Tolerance Week In partnership with the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra
Wednesday, April 22 from 7:30-9:00pm at Orpheum Theatre, Sioux City
The centerpiece public event of Violins of Hope during Tolerance Week, this evening concert brings the historic instruments to the Orpheum Theatre for a deeply moving program of music, reflection, and remembrance. The performance features the strings of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra, with solo moments performed by members of the Symphony, and includes a powerful side by side collaboration with musicians from the Sioux City Symphony Youth Orchestra. Performed on instruments from the Violins of Hope collection, the program highlights works by Pavel Haas, Gideon Klein, Ilse Weber, Osvaldo Golijov, Ernest Bloch, and Gustav Mahler.Through sound, storytelling, and shared silence, the audience is invited to bear witness and reflect on the enduring power of memory, resilience, and hope.
Violins of Hope: Music in the Shadow of the Rails
An Intimate Chamber Performance at the Holocaust Rails Exhibit
Thursday, April 23 at 6:30-8:00pm at the Holocaust Rails Exhibit, Sioux City Railroad Museum
Set within the Holocaust Rails exhibit, this intimate chamber concert offers a deeply personal Violins of Hope experience. Performed by the Sioux City Symphony String Quartet, the program centers on chamber works by Erwin Schulhoff and Mieczysław Weinberg, composers whose lives and creative voices were profoundly shaped by Nazi persecution, displacement, and the devastation of the Holocaust. Music is performed on instruments from the Violins of Hope collection, deepening the connection between sound, place, and history.The program also features Maurice Ravel’s hauntingly beautiful Kaddish in an arrangement for solo violin, offering a moment of stark intimacy and reflection. Hosted by Sioux City Symphony Music Director Ryan Haskins, the performance places music directly alongside history, inviting listeners to reflect, remember, and bear witness in a setting that amplifies the emotional weight of each work.
