Janet Horvath’s Cello: A Testament to Endless Discovery

Cellist and author Janet Horvath will present her book, “The Cello Still Sings,” at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 26. The event is part of the Red Rocks Music Festival and delves into her father’s involvement with the Ex-Concentration Camp Orchestra following the Holocaust.

A former student of renowned cellist Janos Starker, Horvath enjoyed a successful 32-year tenure with the Minnesota Orchestra after a brief stint with the Indianapolis Symphony. The influence of music was profound in her household.

“Both my parents were professional musicians,” Horvath shared. “My mother was a piano teacher, and I would often mimic her students’ tunes before starting cello lessons, which were initially encouraged by my family. Back then, female cellists were rare. My journey began with a half-sized cello.”

Horvath’s father, George Horvath, a cellist, emigrated to Canada after WWII and enjoyed a long career with the Toronto Symphony. She recalls, “My father was very particular about teaching. He resisted letting anyone else guide my lessons.” Despite early resistance, she developed her skills and ultimately fell in love with the cello at Interlochen, a pivotal moment that changed her trajectory.

In uncovering her family’s past, Horvath faced the silence many Holocaust survivors maintained about their experiences. “My parents never shared their stories. I feared asking too many questions would reopen wounds,” she explained. However, this changed during a memory-triggering moment while driving her father to a doctor’s appointment in 2009.

“I asked him if he had played with Leonard Bernstein. His reaction was startling,” Horvath recounted. This conversation unveiled the richness of her father’s history, including his past with the Budapest Symphony and the significant concert in the aftercare of WWII.

After this interaction, Horvath found important records, photographs, and documents confirming her father’s contributions to the DP camps’ orchestras. “I discovered that he had played with Bernstein and with other survivors to help boost morale,” she added. This discovery propelled her desire to research further, offering a vital glimpse into her father’s life.

Horvath transitioned from music to writing after retiring in 2012 to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. “It took ten years to finalize my book, including the time spent in school,” she said. “Along the way, I found documents that provided vital pieces to my family’s story.”

In her narrative, she balances humor and poignant family anecdotes, revealing insights into her upbringing. “Upon writing, I uncovered lessons that shaped my childhood and reinforced connections to my family’s past,” she noted.

In a remarkable full-circle moment in 2017, Horvath received an invitation to perform in Landsberg, Germany, where her father had played with Bernstein. “Being asked to play ‘Kol Nidrei’ was emotionally overwhelming. It symbolized the reconciliation between past atrocities and current understanding,” she expressed.

The experience reminded Horvath of the potential music has to unite and heal. “My goal is to convey that through music, people can find common ground despite their differences. This book is my homage to my father and the healing power of music,” she stated.