Both TMORA performances of Violins of Hope are now sold out. We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary response to these special concerts.
Presented in partnership with the Minnesota JCC, Violins of Hope is a statewide initiative featuring exhibitions, concerts, films, and community programs across the Twin Cities. We encourage you to explore additional upcoming events connected to this meaningful project.
Learn more: Violins of Hope Minnesota
Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Violins of Hope: Honoring Memory Through Music, this special concert reflects on the enduring power of music in the face of history’s darkest moments. Through works shaped by Jewish culture, exile, and remembrance, the program offers a moving musical companion to the exhibition.
The evening includes Sonata No. 2 for Solo Violin by Polish-Jewish composer Mieczysław Weinberg, Béla Kovács’s spirited Shalom Aleichem, Rov Feidman!, traditional klezmer tunes rooted in Eastern European Jewish musical life, Joseph Achron’s beloved Jewish Melody, and Dmitri Shostakovich’s powerful Piano Trio No. 2, a work often associated with the composer’s response to the horrors of World War II and the Holocaust.
Featuring:
Natalia Moiseeva, violin
Yi Zhao, violin
Silver Ainomae, cello
Ivan Konev, piano
Sang Yoon Kim, clarinet
Program
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919–1996) — Sonata No. 2 for solo violin, Op. 95
Béla Kovács (1937-2021) — Shalom Aleichem, Rov Feidman!
Traditional Klezmer Tunes
Joseph Achron (1886-1943) – Jewish Melody (arr. Leopold Auer)
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975) — Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
The Violins of Hope exhibition and concert at The Museum of Russian Art are generously sponsored by Bruce Goodman.
Doors open at 6:00 PM. The TMORA Shop and galleries will be open prior to the performance. The concert will take place in the Museum’s Main Gallery.
TMORA Members: Use the discount code VIOLINSOFHOPE to access Member pricing for your tickets. Please note that while the discount code is available to everyone, all Member tickets are reviewed to confirm membership status.
Violins of Hope: Honoring Memory through Music
Presented in partnership with the Minnesota JCC, the exhibition Violins of Hope is a global initiative that showcases restored violins played by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust and brings them to communities throughout the Twin Cities through exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, and storytelling. The collection itself resides in Tel Aviv, Israel, owned by a family of violin makers.
Since 2008, when the collection began its educational journey around the world, over thirty exhibitions, concerts, and other events were held in many countries on both sides of the Atlantic. The Museum of Russian Art is grateful to the collectors and partners in this unique and remarkable project for the opportunity to exhibit these historical violins that memorialize the unimaginable tragedy of the Holocaust.
Violins of Hope: Honoring Memory Through Music will be on view in the Robert J. Brokop Gallery May 9 – June 28, 2026.
ABOUT THE MUSICIANS
Natalie Moiseeva, violin
Russian-born violinist Natalia Moiseeva holds BM and MM degrees in Violin Performance from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory and a DMA from the University of Minnesota. A prizewinner in several national youth competitions in Russia and the University of Minnesota School of Music Concerto Competition, Natalia has appeared as a soloist with orchestras both in the United States and in Europe. Moiseeva served as an Assistant Concertmaster of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra between 2014 and 2023. She is a recipient of a 2020 Artist Initiative Grant and 2022 Creative Support for Individuals Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Moiseeva teaches Applied Violin at both Carleton College and Macalester College and plays with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Yi Zhao, violin
Born in Henan, China, Yi Zhao joined the Minnesota Orchestra as first violin in 2023 and was appointed Principal Second Violin in 2024. Previously she served for nine seasons as Assistant Concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony, where she appeared frequently as a soloist and chamber musician. Zhao performs regularly at the Grand Teton Music Festival and has toured internationally, including appearances at the Salzburg Festival and a European tour with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under Manfred Honeck. She studied with Qian Zhou at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory in Singapore and with Cho-Liang Lin at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Zhao performs on a 2019 Collin Gallahue violin.
Silver Ainomäe, cello
Estonian cellist Silver Ainomäe began his musical studies in Tallinn before continuing at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and later at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. A prizewinner in international competitions including the Isang Yun, Lutosławski, and Paulo competitions, he has performed in more than 30 countries as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. Ainomäe served as Principal Cellist of the Colorado Symphony from 2009 to 2016 before joining the Minnesota Orchestra, and has appeared as guest principal with ensembles including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. An active educator and chamber musician, he performs widely throughout Europe and the United States.
Ivan Konev, piano
Pianist Ivan Konev was born in Ukraine and received his early musical training in Moscow, earning degrees from the Music College affiliated with the Moscow Conservatory and the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music. He later completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Minnesota. Prizewinner in numerous international and regional competitions, Konev performs widely as a soloist and chamber musician in the United States and abroad. His performances have appeared at venues including the Moscow Conservatory, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Sundin Music Hall, and Ted Mann Concert Hall. An active collaborator with musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra and faculty of regional universities, he is a member of the piano faculty at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and the Saint Paul Conservatory of Music.
Sang Yoon Kim, clarinet
South Korean clarinetist Sang Yoon Kim is Principal Clarinet of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and prizewinner of numerous international competitions, including first prize at the 67th Prague Spring International Music Competition in 2015. As a soloist, he has appeared with ensembles including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, and national orchestras throughout South Korea. He has also performed as guest principal clarinet with leading orchestras such as The Cleveland Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. An active chamber musician, Kim has appeared at the Marlboro Music Festival and Ravinia Festival, collaborating with artists including Martin Fröst and Quatuor Ébène. A graduate of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris and the Colburn Conservatory of Music, he joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota as Assistant Professor of Clarinet in 2022.
