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Firstly two messages from your scribe: This short book was written by a music-lover, and is non-technical – but could be demanding in the best of ways. Secondly, it is intended to raise funds for one of the country’s most courageous arts festivals in a time of crisis, so please take a risk and give what I have not taken for writing it: Money! Please!

Over the last few decades, whenever the music of the Holocaust is discussed, the focus is usually on five Czech composers, whose work, even that which survived, effectively ‘disappeared’ for years – Pavel Haas, Gideon Klein, Hans Krása, Erwin Schulhoff and Viktor Ullmann. The interwar years were ones of freedom for the new Czech Republic, and artistically throughout much of Europe the birth of ‘modernism’ meant turbulent change, with sometimes crazy experiment and conventional boundaries of every kind all but disappearing. ‘Music’ thus meant not only classical forms, but jazz, dance music, cabaret, popular song. In an open, conversational style David tries to give some idea of how the world seemed to our composers, emphasising the essential international connections. However, the constant grinding ground-bass was the rise and ultimate triumph of fascism, but in his account he hopes you will nevertheless find something uplifting amidst the tragedy and terror. Further details are here.

The Cook Sisters: Heroines of the Holocaust - the remarkable true story of two ordinary lasses from Sunderland, who achieved extraordinary things. They were an eccentric pair: spinster sisters who lived for opera, travelling the world to listen to their favourite performers sing. Yet Ida and Louise Cook harboured a secret. For years, they worked to bring Jews out of Nazi Europe, using their avid opera-going as a cover. In all, the sisters saved the lives of 29 Jews.

This concert will be dedicated to Sophie Scholl a German anti-Nazi activist, convicted of high treason after having been found to distribute anti-war leaflets at the University of Munich (where she was a student). As a result, she was executed by guillotine at the age of 21. White Rose was the name of the non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany that Sophie was part of. We feel it is important to celebrate the bravery of this young girl who stood up for what she believed and remains a symbol of how people can take a courageous action to resist, even the most brutal totalitarian regime. 

Sophie’s last words: “How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause. Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?”

This concert will be dedicated to Alma Rose. Alma Rose was the niece of Gustav Mahler and a brilliantly talented violinist. After her arrest by the Gestapo, she ended up in Auschwitz where she became the conductor of the women’s orchestra who played for their captors to stay alive. She shaped the large number of starved and terrified girls into a brilliant orchestra using whatever talent they had in whatever instruments they could play on: Mozart played on accordions and mandolins, as well as violins and pianos, for example.

She was very demanding and pushed the musicians very hard, the group rehearsed eight hours on top of performing at the gate morning and evening. Alma believed that if they played well enough, they would be allowed to live. They were literally playing for their lives. So impressed were the camp masters by Alma's exacting standards that visiting Nazi leaders were given special performances by this remarkable ensemble whose fame spread through the hierarchy of the "new order".

By doing so Alma undoubtedly saved the lives of her players because if they played and played, they would not be sent to the gas chambers. Not one member is thought to have died under her baton. Alma herself did not survive the camp.