Janet Horvath’s The Cello Still Sings, A Generational Story of the Holocaust and of the Transformative Power of Music, has been named one of the 100 best Independently published books of 2023 by Kirkus Reviews. An innocent question about music leads to the revelation that the author’s father, also a cellist, after surviving slave-labor, played 200 morale-building concerts after World War II in the displaced persons camps of Bavaria from 1946-48. Two of the concerts were with the young Maestro Leonard Bernstein. It is the clue that leads to unravelling the past. This true story is a vivid and fast-paced recounting of the decades of silence and deeply hidden secrets, the consequences of trauma, and the quest for truth through the spiritual sustenance and power of music. Themes include coming-of-age, taking care of aging parents, life as a musician, learning the cello, Hungarian history and foods, humor, and reconciliation.
Janet Horvath is a lifelong performing classical musician, soloist, speaker, writer, and anti-racism spokesperson. The associate principal cello of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1980-2012, Horvath has performed in recital and chamber music throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, on CBC, BBC, and NPR radio stations, and on PBS television.
Her work has been described by reviewers as “lyrical,” “gripping,” “entertaining,” and “a heartfelt story vividly and powerfully told.” Learn more at https://janethorvath.com.