Transcript

(violin tuning)

I do know something of violin.

Last time I played it, perhaps eight to 10 years ago.

As I will get older,

things got a little bit more and more difficult.

And then there came this

announcement for those people who have an instrument

that they don't really use it anymore.

How long can you live with memories?

[Announcer] WQXR which is running the instrument drive.

[Man] It's very simple, you have

an old instrument sitting around, drop it off.

The instruments will be distributed to schools

in New York City.

[Man] And it seems like ever instrument

has a story behind it.

[Kathy] My name is Kathy Dean.

[Woman] My name is Hattie Stumpler.

[Kathy] And I'm donating a clarinet.

[Woman] Has been in our family for 50 years.

[Man] Donating a Roland EM-15 keyboard.

[Joseph] My name is Joseph Feingold.

I donated a violin which I bought

in a displaced person's camp back in 1947.

After the war and all the horrible experiences,

you just wanted a violin?

I mean, there was probably so much you needed.

So what drove you to use your cigarettes for a violin

instead of a winter coat or food or?

I was born in Warsaw on March 23, 1923.

I had a violin as a kid.

I delighted learning about the strings, the tonality.

Everything at that time, as far as my mother was concerned,

revolved around music.

My mother had a good voice and very often

I accompanied her on the violin.

Music meant so much to us.

I played the violin until the beginning of the war.

The Germans came September 1, 1939.

The Gestapo were going to arrest my father.

My parents decided my father and I had to escape

to Eastern Poland, which it was taken over by the Russians.

I left my mother and two brothers,

and I left the violin behind.

Within days, the Russian secret service came,

picked up all the kids,

packed them into freight trains,

and send them to Siberia,

and I was one of them.

I was 17.

We came up with the number of a thousand instruments

we thought we would receive.

In the end we got 3,000 instruments,

500 on the very first day.

Trumpets, french horns, violins,

this is Joseph's instrument here.

We're in the process now of placing

these instruments in schools

with our matching partner,

the Mr. Holland's Opus foundation.

The mission is to put instruments into schools,

so we're like a conduit.

We're the middle man.

When I first heard about Joseph's violin donation,

it did put a sense of responsibility of

we have to find a home for this

where this violin can continue having its voice.

In the poorest congressional district in the nation

is Bronx Global Learning Institute for Girls.

We accept girls on a lottery basis.

They're from new immigrant families.

South America, the Caribbean, Africa.

Every single student in this school

learns how to play the violin from kindergarten, day one.

One, two, ready, and.

Now there's a report card, there's homework.

The violin program here is treated

as any other subject area.

One of the things that led me to knowing

that this school was a perfect fit for Joseph's violin

is that the principle referred to the girls

that she serves at the school as survivors.

They come from all different backgrounds,

but each one of them has her story.

(violins tuning)

We have very exciting news to share with you all today.

Today we are receiving a very special violin.

There's a man named Joseph,

and Joseph is a Holocaust survivor.

His hope is that it'll bring a similar happiness

and comfort to a young life,

and we are choosing one student

to play on it during their time here at BGLIG,

and the student that we have chosen,

she really shows a unique ability to show her emotion

through her violin,

so we are so excited to announce

that the student we have chosen is Brianna.

[Brianna] My is Brianna Perez.

I'm 12 years old, about to be 13 in a month,

and I'm currently in the seventh grade.

I've known her since she was in first grade,

and it's just been amazing to see her grow up

into a young lady.

I had a huge obsession when I was younger

with Tinkerbell, and I kind of still do.

She's like an independent, hard working fairy.

She was chosen for something special,

and I was chosen for something special too.

When she's playing the violin,

she transform herself totally.

It's like she's going inside of the music.

Family is everything.

I live with my mom.

My father, he lives like across

town I guess.

I didn't notice that she took

my husband and my break so hard

until one day that I saw her crying

and she stopped playing the violin,

and she told me that I believe it's my fault.

And I said no, it's not your fault.

It's not your fault.

Everyone has those days where it's just dark for them,

but most people find their light,

and my light is playing the violin.

Brianna has been presented with some challenges

that here in this school, everyone has

really assisted her to over come.

It's such a joy to teach you every single day

here at school.

You display a...

You display a passion for music that is very rare.

We know, Brianna, that you will cherish this violin

and enjoy playing on it, just as Joseph did.

(audience applauding)

Oh, sweetie, I'm so proud of you.

I'm so happy for you.

Joseph's going to be very excited.

[Woman] Joseph's going to be very excited.

You should invite him.

We should.

I've always wanted to meet a survivor of the Holocaust.

[Woman] We're hoping he can come.

That would be really special.

[Man] Schubert's Polonaise for violin and orchestra.

WQXR, Classical 105.9 FM.

Time for your morning bump.

(soulful violin music)

So I found myself in Siberia

in that labor camp.

Life was very tough.

Temperature kept dropping.

It was colder and colder.

They allowed us to write a letter once a month,

so I sent the letter to my mother.

And I received a reply.

My mother wrote out the lyrics

of Solveig's Song which was very appropriate

to a mother who's missing her son.

I sung it.

I still remember it very well.

(singing Solveig's Song by Edvard Grieg)

(Solveig's Song by Edvard Grieg)

Very good.

[Both] E, A, A,

B, C, D

E, F, F, E

E, C, A

A, C, C

B, B, G,

G, E

It's amazing how we were chosen, out of everyone.

It looks like a violin but it's way more.

[All] It's way more than that.

It's like there's so many secrets,

and that violin has so many secrets

that nobody knows.

Now it can hide our secrets.

I can't forget my brother telling us,

only once in our life

about the day when they took my mother,

my youngest brother

in that train.

That's the only time when he

told me about the details

which I don't care to repeat.

(Solveig's Song by Edvard Grieg)

My brother and I went to the flea market.

We came across a violin.

So I got the violin for a carton of cigarettes.

I walked the streets, and I played the violin.

It reminded me of my young years before the war.

That was when I finally lived

as normal as I could be.

I arrived to the United States 1948.

In '62, I became an architect.

I met Regina In 1970.

She knew my attachment to the violin,

so the first gift I got from her was a music stand.

Dear Mr. Feingold, thank you very much

for donating your special violin.

The first time I played on your violin,

I loved the immense and gorgeous sharp sound.

Was also speechless when

Ms. Kokoe called my name.

Music has made a huge impact on my life.

I would love to invite you

to BGLIG so I can meet you.

I am thankful every day

that I have the opportunity to play

on your beautiful violin.

(gentle music)

She looks forward to playing on your instrument

every single day.

This is my classroom.

That's where we're going to go in?

Yes.

You ready?

Sure.

This is Brianna?

This is Brianna.

Hello.

Hi.

Hello.

Good to see you.

Oh boy.

You are beautiful.

Thank you.

Oh, I'm very very happy.

That's nice.

Thank you.

You are devoted to violin.

Yes I am.

Oh boy.

Thank you so much.

I was surprised that you find

the violin so nice in sound.

It's beautiful.

I thought, it's a violin.

It sounds more than a violin.

That's terrific.

Thank you.

Do you think I'll be able to hear something?

Of course.

I do have something prepared for you.

Oh, good.

(Solveig's Song by Edvard Grieg)

Very well.

That was great.

[Brianna] Thank you.

How was is it that you select this great piece?

Well, my teachers told me it was

a piece that your mom gave you.

She sent a letter.

Oh, she sang this.

She knew the words to it, too.

That's terrific that you had it.

And it's special to you too.

Oh yeah.

I never, never, expected everything that's going to happen.

Why not?

I thought maybe it was a very simple thing.

I don't use it, let someone else enjoy it.

I didn't know it would go to anyone like you.

(audience applauding)

Music has connected every single person here today.

Thank you for sharing your story

and for allowing every student here at BGLIG

to continue on your journey.

Sometimes I wonder,

do I really deserve it?

What did I do?

You never gave up.

That's what you did.

Yeah.

You had hope.

I'm in love with her.

Good afternoon.

It's a privilege because

I get to have history in my hands.

To me, this is like an adventure.

And I always wanted an adventure.

(upbeat violin music)