Violins of Hope concert will feature ATLYS String Quartet at Augustana, Rock Island

Violins of Hope Iowa will host the female-powered string quartet performance by ATLYS at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at the Augustana College Wallenburg Hall in the Denkmann Memorial Building, Rock Island.

The quartet will play instruments from the Violins of Hope Project. The concert is free.

Violins of Hope Iowa is bringing a powerful international cultural initiative to communities statewide through a collaborative statewide residency featuring historic instruments connected to Jewish musicians and the Holocaust.

The Iowa residency in March and April will include programs in the Quad Cities, Des Moines, Sioux City and Danville. The residency unites museums, performing arts organizations, schools and community partners to preserve memory, inspire learning and promote hope through music.

Violins of Hope is a collection of 67 violins, violas and cellos that were owned and played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. Many of the instruments survived ghettos, concentration camps and hiding and serve as living witnesses to history. Master violin makers Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein painstakingly restored the musical instruments, which are returned to concert stages and educational settings so their stories can continue to be told.

“This is a historic opportunity for Iowa,” said Allan Ross, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities. “Bringing Violins of Hope to multiple communities across the state allows us to reach diverse audiences and create meaningful connections. This residency is about remembrance, education and hope. It is also about ensuring these stories are shared widely and thoughtfully so their lessons endure.”

“Each violin carries a story of resilience, survival and the enduring power of music,” said Brian Baxter, executive director of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra. “These instruments were silenced by history and now they sing again. When they are played, they honor those who were lost, celebrate those who endured and remind us of our responsibility to remember. With rising antisemitism and other forms of hate worldwide, the message of resistance, resilience and hope that these instruments bring is relevant for today and is the reason the QCSO feels so passionately about bringing this experience to Iowa communities.”

The residency connects the history of the Holocaust with present day conversations about tolerance, empathy and human dignity. The project invites audiences of all ages to reflect on the past while building a more informed and compassionate future. Violins of Hope Iowa will include performances by professional and student musicians, public exhibitions, school-based educational programs and community events designed to reach audiences across generations and backgrounds.

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