Ashes to Light by Nelly Ben-Or Mbe
Born into a Jewish family in Lvov, Poland in the early-1930s, Nelly Ben-Or was to experience, at a very young age, the trauma of the Holocaust. This narrative of her life's journey describes the survival of Nelly, her mother and her older sister. With help from family and friends, Nelly and her mother were smuggled out of the Ghetto in Lvov and escaped to Warsaw with false identity papers where they were under constant threat of discovery. Miraculously, they survived being taken on a train to Auschwitz, deported not, in fact, because they were Jews, but as citizens of Warsaw following the Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis. After the end of the war, Nelly's musical talent was free to flourish, at first in Poland and then in the recently-created State of Israel, where Nelly completed her musical studies as a scholarship student at the Music Academy in Jerusalem. Following her move to England she carried out a full concert career and also discovered the Alexander Technique for piano playing, which had a profound influence on her. Today Nelly Ben-Or is internationally regarded as the leading exponent of the application of principles of the Alexander Technique - she teaches in the keyboard department of London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, runs Alexander Technique masterclasses and regularly gives talks about her Holocaust experience. This unique memoir is testimony to an extraordinary life and illustrates the strength of the human condition when faced with adversity.
`An inspiring story, beautifully written, that tells of a young Jewish girl's survival in Nazi-occupied Poland, hidden by a series of righteous Christians who risked their lives by their actions, supported by a wealthy Uncle (also living a hidden life) and above all by the indomitable spirit and faith of the author and her motherIn hiding, the dream of Nelly Ben-Or was to become a concert pianist and after liberation we see her make this dream a reality, helped by her discovery of the Alexander Technique and, again, good people entering her life at the right times.' - Rabbi Dr Andrew Goldstein, President, Liberal Judaism, `This is a brilliant and deeply moving personal account. Nelly Ben-Or's retelling of a story, so familiar to us, is written through her own childhood's eyes in words of such poignant simplicity that they sing to us across the clamour of the intervening years. One cannot help but be moved to tears.' - Jonathan Vaughan, Vice Principal and Director of Music, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, `This eminently readable book is both historical and personal testimony, narrating Nelly's spiritual journey with enriching, introspective detail. Like her recitals, masterclasses, and summer courses, it promises to inspire pianists, musicians, scholars, as well as all those interested in the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.' - Dr Malcolm Miller, Hon Associate, the Open University and Editor of Arietta: Journal of the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe, "This is a deeply inspiring story, told with utmost honesty and simplicity. Caught up in the Holocaust, a young Jewish girl dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. The obstacles were unimaginable, but with courage and determination that is genuinely awe inspiring, she not only survived, but succeeded and made her dream into reality. Having related the extraordinary events of her life, Nelly Ben-Or expresses both her gratitude towards those who helped her and her desire to help young people today. She generously shares her knowledge, experience, and the underlying wellspring which is her passion for music". - Dr. Lillian Buss Pearson, formerly Associate Professor of Piano, Western Carolina University
Nelly Ben-Or MBE is a distinguished pianist and piano teacher. Born in Poland, she survived the Holocaust and now lives in London. She teaches in the keyboard department at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has broadcast frequent recitals for the BBC, performed at major concert venues in the UK and in many countries overseas. In 1963 she qualified as a teacher of the Alexander Technique - the first professional pianist to do so. She is now internationally-recognised as a leading exponent of the technique. She regularly gives masterclasses at music conservatoires, universities and at her own twice-yearly international courses in London. She regularly gives talks about her Holocaust experience, especially around Holocaust Memorial Day.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781788313094 |
| ISBN 10 | 1788313097 |
| Title | Ashes to Light |
| Author | Nelly Ben-Or Mbe |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Year published | 2018-01-30 |
| Number of pages | 224 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |