Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker plays for patients at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in West Ashley Wednesday, April 11, 2018 using a 1686 Stradivarius violin. Yuriy will be playing the violin this weekend for the CSO’s season finale performance.
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Robert Christian Branchini, 60, of West Ashley reaches over to touch the 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin held by Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker, who then played for Branchini in his room at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital on Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Branchini said he was a musician himself and started playing the guitar around 5 years old. "It was like me playing to him. If he came to see me and I played one of my pieces for him, he would see it, hear it and feel it in his mind." Branchini said he closed his eyes and moved along with the music. Andrew J. Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker takes out a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin to play for patients at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. built by Antonio Stradivari just 16 years after the founding of Charleston, is owned by John and Winifred Constable, part-time Charleston residents who first loaned the violin to Bekker to perform local composer Edward Hart’s "Under an Indigo Sky" with the CSO in 2012. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

"I had to close my eyes and just do it." Robert Christian Branchini, 60, of West Ashley said referring to moving his hands to the music as Yuriy Bekker plays for him at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Robert was recovering from an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Mark Dickson Vice President Mission, left, and Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker wait by the elevator as they head to the cancer center where Yuriy will play for patients using a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker plays a lullaby to newborn baby Caleb with his parents Jessica and Jeff Tinsley at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker takes a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin out of its case to play for patients at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker shows off the 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin to the nurses station after he played for patients at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker plays for patients at the cancer center using a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in West Ashley. File/Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com

Yuriy Bekker talks with Robert Christian Branchini after Yuriy played for him in his room at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Robert talked about his love of music and started to play guitar around 5 years old. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
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Robert Christian Branchini, 60, of West Ashley reaches over to touch the 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin held by Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker, who then played for Branchini in his room at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital on Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Branchini said he was a musician himself and started playing the guitar around 5 years old. "It was like me playing to him. If he came to see me and I played one of my pieces for him, he would see it, hear it and feel it in his mind." Branchini said he closed his eyes and moved along with the music. Andrew J. Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker takes out a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin to play for patients at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. built by Antonio Stradivari just 16 years after the founding of Charleston, is owned by John and Winifred Constable, part-time Charleston residents who first loaned the violin to Bekker to perform local composer Edward Hart’s "Under an Indigo Sky" with the CSO in 2012. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
"I had to close my eyes and just do it." Robert Christian Branchini, 60, of West Ashley said referring to moving his hands to the music as Yuriy Bekker plays for him at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Robert was recovering from an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
Mark Dickson Vice President Mission, left, and Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker wait by the elevator as they head to the cancer center where Yuriy will play for patients using a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker plays a lullaby to newborn baby Caleb with his parents Jessica and Jeff Tinsley at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker takes a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin out of its case to play for patients at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker shows off the 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin to the nurses station after he played for patients at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
Charleston Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Yuriy Bekker plays for patients at the cancer center using a 1686 Ex-Nachez Stradivarius violin at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in West Ashley. File/Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
Yuriy Bekker talks with Robert Christian Branchini after Yuriy played for him in his room at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Wednesday, April 11, 2018 in West Ashley. Robert talked about his love of music and started to play guitar around 5 years old. Andrew Whitaker/Staff
- By Andrew Whitaker awhitaker@postandcourier.com
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