Festival City Symphony Opens 2025–26 Saturday Classics Season With Powerful Tribute to Resilience and the Human Spirit
Milwaukee, WI (August 28, 2025) — Festival City Symphony (FCS) launches its 2025–26 Saturday Classics series on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the magnificent Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, with a program that unites history, humanity, and the transformative power of music. The concert, Hope, Resilience, and Copland’s American Symphony, begins at 2:00 p.m. and is free with a suggested donation of $14 for adults and $8 for children, students, and seniors.
In a profound partnership with Violins of Hope – Wisconsin, presented by Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO), audience members will hear restored instruments once played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust—rare, tangible artifacts that survived when so much else was lost. These violins, each carrying the stories of resilience and survival, will be brought to life in a program that speaks to courage in the face of oppression and hope in the wake of tragedy.
The afternoon will feature:
- David Diamond’s Kaddish, featuring FCS Principal Cellist Stefan Kartman
- Tomaso Albinoni’s Adagio
- Sergei Prokofiev’s Overture on Hebrew Themes
- Aaron Copland’s monumental Third Symphony
The event will be preceded at 1:30 p.m. by a special on-stage discussion with the Holocaust Education Resource Center, offering historical context and personal stories connected to the Violins of Hope collection.
“This concert isn’t just an artistic event, it’s a living history lesson, a memorial, and a testament to the human spirit,” said Brandon Yahn, Principal Horn and Operations Director of Festival City Symphony. “We’re honored to share this music and these stories with the Milwaukee community.”
Saturday Classics concerts are free and open to the public, with a suggested donation. Seats may be reserved in advance. For tickets, directions, and parking information, visit https://festivalcitysymphony.org/.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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