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Juilliard String Quartet violist, Molly Carr
APPASSIONATO is a new PBS documentary by Jackie Paré about the struggle to put priceless musical instruments where they belong—in the hands of gifted musicians. Thanks to generous donors, the star performers in this film carry these masterpieces that are begging to be heard into concert halls but also to some surprising places: prisons, war zones, underserved schools, ICU's, and veterinary hospitals. Watch the trailer below!
Palm Beach Chamber Music Society
APPASSIONATO’s mission is to connect more modern Medicis with masterful musicians for our collective benefit.
The instruments are only on loan but these artists form a passionate connection to them. They think of them as soulmates. And they worry endlessly about the day when the patrons might want them back. The film celebrates the magic of this tenuous arrangement: So many more people get to experience music at its best—from those seated in brightly lit halls to those condemned to the darkest corners of the world.
These venerable instruments have endured wars, neglect, and the weathering of time. But many still lie silent in bank vaults and display cases—awaiting the touch of a maestro. Through collaborations with rare instrument dealers, interactive museums like MIM, and organizations like Project: Music Heals Us, these celebrated musicians give countless people the chance to experience the power of music to transcend, to transport, and to heal.
"Project: Music Heals Us" performing in a California prison
I recently played in an ICU, right there in the room with people in their last minutes. It forever changed me.
Violin virtuoso Tessa Lark
We are all so lucky to play on these instruments. Three hundred years of history fell into my lap.
Juilliard String Quartet violist
Molly Carr
I can’t believe I have a Stradivarius in my hands.
Violinist extraordinaire
Arnaud Sussmann
