The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will join area actors in bringing the Violins of Hope to life during two moving performances as they take the stage on March 5 and April 8, 2025, at the Historic Tennessee Theatre. Tickets are on sale here to see these compelling stories of resilience and survival.

The performances are part of the Violins of Hope: Strings of the Holocaust exhibition running from March 3 through April 9 being organized by the Stanford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School.

The exhibition will include a professionally designed and curated gallery display of violins once owned by Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The violins have been carefully restored and preserved so their music and stories can live on. The gallery exhibit will be at Digital Motif, 108 S. Gay Street.

Educational outreach is also a part of Violins of Hope, so the exhibition will include visits to area schools in coordination with the KSO. By taking Violins of Hope directly into the classroom, area students will have the opportunity to hear the violins played, and to learn about the Holocaust and our shared humanity through the stories of the Violins of Hope.

“We are so excited to offer the amazing opportunity for Knoxville to hear the actual Violins of Hope played by the world-class Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and for the stories that are in their strings to come alive on stage, thanks to actors who will help portray the instruments’ histories for the audience,” said KJDS Head of School Miriam Esther Wilhelm.

“The KSO is honored to once again collaborate with the Knoxville Jewish Day School to bring the powerful stories of these instruments to East Tennessee and to keep their sound alive through the great artistry of the KSO’s musicians, who will perform classic music of the standard repertoire, lesser-known works by Jewish composers who were killed in the Holocaust, and music of our time, composed this century, to honor the Violins of Hope,” said Music Director Aram Demirjian

About Violins of Hope: Strings of the Holocaust: Violins of Hope

About the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

Net proceeds from the concert ticket sales will benefit the Stanford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School‘s tuition assistance program.