History and Theology Department lectures, by Dr. Betsy Pease and Rev. Dr. Joshua Miller

Location: CUW Campus, Barth 027 (near Todd Wehr Auditorium)

followed by exhibit viewing in the Art Gallery (Barth 109) from 8:30pm-9:30pm.

There is no charge to attend this event, but we ask you to Register below so we can plan for the size of the audience.

In the midst of World War II as Germany battled across Europe, the Holocaust was taking place. Jewish prisoners and others targeted by the Nazis played violins in the ghettos and concentration camps. Many musicians were forced to play; others played them as a form of resistance.

During the Holocaust, as the Jewish people were dehumanized, discriminated against, and mass murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, musical instruments too bore witness to this atrocity.

But today, their music bears witness to this history, rising again, stronger and more vibrant - a testament to survival, hope, and the resilience of the human spirit.

This is the transformative journey of Violins of Hope-Wisconsin.

The Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) is bringing Violins of Hope, a collection of instruments owned and played during the Holocaust, to the Wisconsin community for a five-month residency of educational and cultural programs, exhibits, and performances from September 2025 to January 2026.