Jewish Amazonian violinist to play his own lockdown concerto to Shoah-survivor cellist

Mr Keuffer, now 25, will be playing a violin concerto he wrote during lockdown for the first time publicly. He told the JC its fifth movement was inspired by the melody of the prayer Yehid Nefesh, which he used to sing while attending Jackson’s Row Synagogue in Manchester. 

“I feel very honoured to have been asked to play my own music in such a meaningful event,” he said. “But I am also very happy with the fact that the cultured Austrians are showing solidarity with the Jews, even though antisemitism still exists here.”  

Mr Keuffer’s mother, Cecelia, had previously struggled to pay for Chetham’s foreign student fees, but said at the time there was no comparative school in Brazil. She is now thankful that he was able to mould his career in the UK. 

At the concert, Ms Lasker-Wallfisch will recount her personal experience at the hands of the Nazis, which saw her survive Auschwitz only because the women’s orchestra at the camp needed a cellist.  

As well as some classical works, the concert will feature music by John Williams written for the soundtrack to Shindler’s List, as well as Shalom Aleichem.