Some were displaced during the war. One was tossed from a cattle train en route from Paris to Auschwitz. Another survived Dachau. These violins, long associated with the Holocaust, have been restored by father-and-son instrument makers Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein as part of their Violins of Hope project. The instruments will be celebrated, and played, this weekend in two concerts.

The Las Vegas Sinfonietta, a professional chamber orchestra, will kick off its fifth concert season this weekend with a historically significant performance. The season’s opening concert, “Violins of Hope,” is a powerful tribute to the resilience and spirit of Holocaust survivors.

Las Vegas has its fair share of native celebrities like Ne-Yo, The Killers, Imagine Dragons, and future celebrities are being made right now. In October, the culture issue in our city-regional magazine, Desert Companion, will feature in Ones To Watch. These are profiles of interesting up-and-coming local artists or performers.

For the first time the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is debuting a mariachi program exploring the traditional Mexican folk music that originated in the late 1800s. “The culture is just so rich. The music is one of the most beautiful kinds of music I’ve heard in my life,” Stephen Blanco, director of mariachi for UNLV’s School of Music, said.

For the first time the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is debuting a mariachi program exploring the traditional Mexican folk music that originated in the late 1800s. “The culture is just so rich. The music is one of the most beautiful kinds of music I’ve heard in my life,” Stephen Blanco, director of mariachi for UNLV’s School of Music, said.

We all have that one friend who is shockingly adept at all things music-related. Whether they do it professionally or merely whip out their violin on special occasions, you can't help but wonder where their innate talent came from.