The Instrument Drive

• 💡 WQXR initiated an instrument drive, collecting unused musical instruments from the community.
• 🎯 The goal was to distribute these instruments to schools in New York City, particularly those in underserved areas.
• 🎻 Joseph Feingold donated his violin, which he had owned for decades, to this program.

Joseph's Journey and the Violin's Significance

• 🌍 Joseph Feingold, a Holocaust survivor, bought his violin in a displaced person's camp in 1947 after World War II.
• 💔 He had played violin as a child in Warsaw, but was forced to leave his instrument and family behind when he escaped the Germans and was later sent to a labor camp in Siberia.
• ✨ The violin, purchased with cigarettes, represented a return to normalcy and hope after immense suffering and loss.

A New Home for a Special Instrument

• 🏫 The Bronx Global Learning Institute for Girls was chosen as the recipient school for Joseph's violin.
• ✅ This school, located in the nation's poorest congressional district, ensures every student learns violin from kindergarten.
• 💖 The principal referred to her students as "survivors," recognizing their diverse backgrounds and resilience, making it a perfect fit for Joseph's violin.

Brianna's Connection to the Violin

• 🎶 Brianna Perez, a 12-year-old 7th-grade student, was selected to play Joseph's special violin.
• 💡 Brianna finds emotional expression and solace through music, particularly during challenging times, describing the violin as her "light."
• 🧚‍♀️ She related her experience to Tinker Bell being chosen for something special, feeling a unique connection to the instrument and its story.

A Meaningful Encounter

• 🤝 Joseph and Brianna had an emotional meeting at the school, where Brianna played for him.
• 🎵 Brianna performed a Greek piece, a song Joseph's mother had sung to him, deeply moving Joseph.
• 💖 The encounter highlighted how the violin, and music itself, created a powerful intergenerational connection, bringing joy and meaning to both Joseph and Brianna.