On Friday, 30^th June, Emma sang as a guest soloist with pianist Anton Doornhein in the farewell service of Minister Ad Alblas. Ad Alblas has worked as a minister in Leiden for over thirty years. To mark his farewell, a concert was held in the Hooglandse Kerk, Leiden’s twelfth-century Gothic cathedral. Emma appeared alongside internationally-acclaimed singers Denise Jannah and Ken Gould. Two local Leiden choirs, the Leidse Cantorij and Vox Humana.

The concert reflected different aspects of Mr. Alblas’s ministry. He asked Emma to sing three songs from Ilse Weber, a nurse who worked at Theresienstadt, to reflect his connection to the Jewish communities.

Ilse Weber (1903-1944) worked as a nurse with children in Theresienstadt. Her oldest son travelled with the Kindertransport and found exile in Sweden. Her youngest son was also imprisoned in Theresienstadt. When she heard her husband and the children in her care were to be transported, she volunteered to accompany them. On arrival in Auschwitz, she and her son were sent immediately to the gas chamber.

You can watch an amateur video of the concert here.