Being Human Festival: Beyond Bars – rediscovering music by Holocaust survivors

On Thursday 13 November, Beyond Bars: Music by Holocaust Survivors will take place at The Menuhin Hall, Stoke D’Abernon (KT11 3QQ), from 7 to 9.30pm. Concert pianist Manuel Cini will perform rarely heard works written by prisoners in Nazi concentration camps – compositions lost for decades and recently recovered through his research at the University of Surrey. 

The recital, presented with fellow musicians, will be preceded by a talk from historian Dr Constance Bantman, who will explore how art offers powerful ways of remembering and retrieving unwritten histories. 

Manuel Cini, Concert Pianist and PhD student at the University of Surrey said: 

 “Marking the 80th anniversary of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, the evening will pay tribute to resilience, creativity and the enduring power of expression. These pieces were composed as a result of unimaginable circumstances, yet they bear witness to a determination to create, to remember, and to be heard. By bringing this music back to life, we honour the voices that were almost silenced forever and show how art can preserve memory when words are no longer enough.” 

Dr Chris Wiley, Head of Music and Media at the University of Surrey, said: 

“These pieces are fragments of hope, courage and humanity in the darkest of times. By bringing them back to life, we honour not only the individuals who composed them but also the role of art in bearing witness.” 

Audience members will also be invited to reflect by adding to an interactive family history map on arrival or after the performance, followed by a short Q&A session. 

The event is free but spaces are limited – register now to secure your place. 

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