Watch the Oscar-nominated documentary, Joe's Violin
With the Academy Awards just a little more than a week away, here is one nominee that will likely interest string players and teachers: Joe's Violin, which is up for Best Documentary, Short Subject. The film, directed by Kahane Cooperman, traces the story of 91-year-old Holocaust survivor Joe Feingold, who donates his violin through the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to a school in a low-income Bronx neighborhood. Feingold had bought the violin after he was finally released from a Siberian work camp, as a way of reconnecting with the past he had lost.
Realizing he can no longer play, he decides to donate the violin after hearing on the radio about an instrument donation program. Brianna Perez, 12, receives the instrument with great appreciation, and prepares something special to play for him. Very moving, keep the tissues close!
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Very touching documentary. Thank you for sharing.ART Angels Relief Team, teaching the violin to refugee children
Wow!! Thanks for sharing
What a lovely story, I've always thought that our Violins are full of history, they are so very special, I would love to know where mine has been over it's 169 yr life.
In these dark days it's so refreshing tone reminded that our spirit as humans goes beyond our politics. Such a moving story go young and old linked by music.
Laurie - thank you SO MUCH!!!
I was searching online for a place I could donate a violin to, and found a local school which gives subsidized music lessons to children who otherwise wouldn't be afford them, saw that they have volunteer opportunities and discussed that briefly with my son. I wondered for a while what prompted me to do that, and then remembered this article. Thanks Laurie!
I donated a couple of violins to the Sheldon Foundation in St Louis (Sheldon concert hall). The Sheldon foundation gives violins out to needy St Louis area students in band or orchestral programs. When I signed them over, they told me I couldn't find out who got my violins. It kind of bummed me out as I would have loved to have known who got them. In the long run, I hope somebody has a long, happy life with them.
All I can say is wow! What a wonderful story.
I once donated an old Shar American violin case to the local schools, and completely forgot about it. Then I was attending a concert at the public high school at least 10 years later and -- there it was! They were using it to collect money, because it was all pretty and velvet-lined. It still had the brass plate with my maiden name and childhood address on it, what a strange surprise to see this relic of my own past!
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February 17, 2017 at 11:53 PM · excellent and touching documentary !