Pianist Mona Golabek’s bestselling book of hope and survival during the Holocaust comes to life with teacher’s resource guide, classroom videos and musical downloads.
2020 UPDATE: A new partnership with USC Shoah Foundation is bringing "The Children of Willesden Lane" to millions of students around the world. Click here to learn more.
The American pianist and author Mona Golabek’s mother, Lisa Jura, grew up in pre-World War II Vienna. Shortly after Kristallnacht, 14 year-old Lisa, a musical prodigy, escaped the Nazis aboard the Kindertransport train to England where her music gave her the strength to survive one of the darkest periods in history.
Lisa Jura’s incredible story has become the bestselling book, The Children of Willesden Lane. It is a powerful story of hope, passion and courage that has inspired readers and audiences everywhere. Transformed into a one-woman stage production based on the book, Golabek has portrayed her mother to sold-out audiences across the nation. The San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Sun Times have hailed this story as “unforgettable… an arresting triumph.” Golabek is also in demand across the nation doing citywide reads of the book, engaging students, educators and entire communities.
The universal themes of Willesden Lane—identity, moral responsibility, acceptance between cultures and artistic appreciation—have been embraced by more than 100,000 students. One high school student in Hoxie, Kansas, wrote, “Lisa Jura inspired me to dream the impossible dream and never give up when you think all is lost.”
Resources
The study guides, videos and music are available at no cost to educators.
A printable curriculum guide (PDF) created by Facing History and Ourselves and the Milken Family Foundation, providing a wealth of lessons and activities for students:
Hold On To Your Music Foundation: Teachers and community leaders interested in exploring The Children of Willesden Lane and learning more about Grammy-nominated pianist Mona Golabek’s passion to bring her mother's story to students across America.
Music
All music associated with this curriculum is available for download below. A CD is also available by contacting Dr. Jane Foley.
The music files below are MP3s. Please right-click and save the tracks to your device for best experience.
Track 1: Piano Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra (First Movement)
by: Edvard H. Grieg | 2:03 | Sample (759k) | Full (2.4MB)
Track 2: "Moonlight" Sonata (First Movement)
by: Ludwig van Beethoven | 1:38 | Sample (590k) | Full (1.9MB)
Track 3: Prelude in E Minor
by: Frederic Chopin | 1:22 | Sample (590k) | Full (1.6MB)
Track 4: "Clair de Lune"
by: Claude Debussy | 3:09 | Sample (590k) | Full (3.7MB)
Track 5: "Clair de Lune"
by: Claude Debussy | 2:33 | Sample (668k) | Full (3MB)
Track 6: Nocturne in B-flat Major, Opus 9, Number 3
by: Frederic Chopin | 2:05 | Sample (668k) | Full (2.5MB)
Track 7: Sonata in B-flat Minor (Last Movement)
by: Frederic Chopin | 1:00 | Sample (590k) | Full (1.2MB)
Track 8: Piano Concerto in A Minor
by: Edvard H. Grieg | 1:58 | Sample (668k) | Full (2.3MB)
Track 9: Piano Sonata in C Minor, "Pathétique"
by: Ludwig van Beethoven | 2:19 | Sample (766k) | Full (2.7MB)
Track 10: "Liebesträume"
by: Franz Liszt | 2:31 | Sample (746k) | Full (3MB)
Track 11: Prelude in C-sharp Minor
by: Sergei Rachmaninoff | 3:39 | Sample (707k) | Full (4.3MB)
Track 12: Piano Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra (First Movement)
by: Edvard H. Grieg | 12:16 | Sample (707k) | Full (14MB)
Track 13: "Moonlight" Sonata (First Movement)
by: Ludwig van Beethoven | 6:03 | Sample (649k) | Full (7MB)
Track 14: Prelude in E Minor
by: Frederic Chopin | 1:05 | Sample (651k) | Full (1.3MB)
Track 15: "Clair de Lune"
by: Claude Debussy | 5:34 | Sample (630k) | Full (6.5MB)
Track 16: Nocturne in B-flat Major, Opus 9, Number 3
by: Frederic Chopin | 1:48 | Sample (630k) | Full (2.1MB)
Track 17: Sonata in B-flat Minor (Last Movement)
by: Frederic Chopin | 0:53 | Sample (590k) | Full (1MB)
Track 18: Piano Concerto in A Minor
by: Edvard H. Grieg | 2:54 | Sample (668k) | Full (3.4MB)
Track 19: Piano Sonata in C Minor, "Pathétique"
by: Ludwig van Beethoven | 1:45 | Sample (611k) | Full (2MB)
Track 20: "Liebesträume"
by: Franz Liszt | 1:46 | Sample (668k) | Full (2.1MB)
Track 21: Prelude in C-sharp Minor
by: Sergei Rachmaninoff | 3:42 | Sample (610k) | Full (4.3MB)
Track 22: The Legacy
by: Mona Golabek | 1:01 | Sample (668k) | Full (1.2MB)
Track 23: "Clair de Lune"/"Rhapsody"
by: Claude Debussy/Maxwell Eckstein | 6:24 | Sample (710k) | Full (7.5MB)
Track 24: Sarah Golabek-Goldman Speaks
by: Sarah Golabek-Goldman | 0:31 | Sample (619k) | Full (619k)
Track 25: Prelude in B Minor
by: Abram Chasins, performed by Renee Golabek | 2:45 | Sample (668k) | Full (3.2MB)