In partnership with the UNCC College of Arts + Architecture, we present this musical commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, featuring Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” and the east coast premiere of “Intonations: Songs from the Violins of Hope.” Composed by internationally regarded composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer “Intonations: Songs from the Violins of Hope” was commissioned to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, receiving its world premiere in the San Francisco Bay Area on January of 2020.

“Intonations” is a song cycle scored for mezzo-soprano, violin soloist, and string quartet, with a concluding solo by a child violinist. The poetic text is inspired by the stories from the book “Violins of Hope: Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour,” written by UNC Charlotte musicologist James Grymes. Published by Harper Collins in 2014, “Violins of Hope” won a National Jewish Book Award. It tells the histories of violins recovered from the Holocaust by Iraeli violinmaker Amnon Weinstein. UNC Charlotte presented the North American premiere of those violins in exhibition and performance in April 2012. Since then more than a dozen U.S. cities have hosted the “Violins of Hope.”

“Intonations: Songs from the Violins of Hope” will feature mezzo-soprano Audrey Babcock, assistant professor of voice at UNC Charlotte, and solo violinist Mikylah Myers from West Virginia University, performing with the Beo String Quartet of Pittsburgh. Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra violinist David Karpov joins the ensemble for the conclusion.

Following the performance of Intonations, the University Chorale and the Central Piedmont Chorus will perform Bernstein’s beautiful “Chichester Psalms,” a setting in three movements of six Psalms, sung in Hebrew. Conducted by Alan Yamamoto, division director of visual and performing arts at Central Piedmont, Chichester Psalms will feature harpist Christine Leimer, a professor at Central Piedmont.

Performances are April 4 at 7:30 p.m., and April 5 at 2:30 p.m. in Halton Theater. For tickets, visit tix.cpcc.edu or call the SunTrust box office at ext. 6534. Central Piedmont students with a valid Central Piedmont ID will get FREE admission.