Thursday, October 1, 2026
Molloy University hosted high school orchestra students for a special program with the internationally recognized Violins of Hope project, a concert series initiative inspired by the collection of violins, violas and cellos from Jewish communities in the wake of the Holocaust. The March 12 educational program was held in the morning before an evening concert at Molly’s Madison Theatre.
Roosevelt High School’s Chamber Orchestra, comprised of 13 advanced string students in grades 10 through 12, and Michael Calvaresi, Roosevelt’s orchestra director, were one of seven Long Island high schools to attend. The other high schools were Great Neck, Locust Valley, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Brentwood, Syosset and Mineola.
More than 200 high school students attended the special educational program and learned the history behind the instruments Violins of Hope gathered since the end of World War II. The instruments stand as powerful symbols of Klezmer and other Jewish musical traditions that survived the Holocaust. The instruments were carefully restored by Israeli violinmakers Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein, making them usable for performances worldwide.
Calvaresi explained he had first learned of the event from his colleague Joe Bradley, the secondary social studies chairperson for Roosevelt High School. The Roosevelt High School Chamber Orchestra features eight violinists, three violists and two cellists, which made Violins of Hope an ideal learning experience for the young musicians to learn about their instrument’s roles in history.
“I often tell my students that music is a truly universal language, and I try to impress upon them the importance of learning from people and cultures beyond our own,” Calvaresi said. “The work (the Weinsteins) have done to preserve these instruments, and the stories connected to them, gives a tangible voice to the musicians who once played them.”
Calvaresi added that Violins of Hope gave a practical lesson, by lifting “that history off the textbook page” and bringing it to students’ eyes and ears.
Angelina Liriano, 17, a senior violinist at Roosevelt High School, said that she found exploring the cultural significance of Jewish music considering the Holocaust very interesting.
“Hearing such beautiful music come from instruments that carry so much history made the experience even more emotional and meaningful,” she said. “This showed me just how powerful music can be.”
Ivan Alexis Lagos, 16, a junior viola player and percussionist at Roosevelt, also expressed being quite impressed by the history and condition of the instruments.
“The way the musicians played the instruments just made it ten times better, he had such emotion while playing,” Lagos said. “It was also very interesting to see how far the instruments have come and the history of them and its owners.”
Both students expressed that they would love to continue attending more events like this in the future. Robert Meyer, senior director of Philanthropy at Molloy’s Office of Advancement, said that while no future events have been planned yet, he expects Violins of Hope to make annual returns to Molloy’s campus.
This is the second iteration of the concert, which was held at the Tilles Center in 2023, and the Long Island Concert Orchestra and the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center approached Molloy about holding another event. This is the first year where Molloy invited local high school students to learn from Violins of Hope and be a part of the experience.
“Studying musical history through the lens of the Holocaust helps students understand how art can endure even in humanity’s darkest moments,” Meyer said. “Music served as a form of resistance, identity and emotional survival for many who were persecuted. Learning from these stories ensures that the voices and cultural contributions of musicians silenced by the Holocaust are remembered and understood by future generations.”
