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Mother's Day Special- "My Mother's Story"

Sunday, May 8th at 2PM on WSCL, 89.5 FM

Based on her book, The Children of Willesden Lane, the Willesden Lane Mother’s Day Special tells the story of Ms. Golabek’s own mother, a Jewish teenager living in Vienna just before the start of WWII who holds on to her music and her dreams to survive one of the darkest periods in world history.

Told through Ms. Golabek’s own words and performances, Willesden Lane features a selection of classical music favorites, including Clare de Lune, the Moonlight Sonata, the Grieg Piano Concerto and many others. Joining Ms. Golabek are her special guests, the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Mona Golabek heard the stories of her mother’s teenage years throughout her childhood music lessons. Her mother, Lisa Jura, was a fourteen year old refugee from Vienna – arriving in London in 1938 on the Kindertransport, the rescue train that saved the lives of 10,000 European children. Young Lisa, a piano prodigy, overcame overwhelming odds to become an inspirational performer and teacher. 

The theatrical production of Willesden Lane, featuring Mona Golabek playing the part of her own mother has met with critical acclaim and sold-out engagements in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Cleveland, Chicago and New York with a New York Drama Desk Critics nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance.

The WFMT Radio Network is proud to present this new adaptation of Ms. Golabek’s story for radio listeners and gratefully acknowledges the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, the Hold On To Your Music Foundation, the Pritzker Foundation and the contributions of Helen and Sam Zell, as well as the Honorable Fay Hartog-Levin and Dan Levin.

Chris Ranck is Delmarva Public Media's Executive Producer, Program Director and Automation Engineer.