Israel Philharmonic to open 2023-24 season in the shadow of war

Despite the dark cast of war shadowing the country, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra will soon celebrate the opening of its 87th concert season.

“We believe music has an important role even in these difficult days,” said Yair Mashiach, secretary-general of the IPO. “The sounds of the IPO are part of our national resilience and a sign of our continued existence. Therefore, it is important to return to making music.”

The IPO’s first concert will be part of the Children’s Philharmonic series on November 26 with the Wizard of Oz. Starring with the IPO will be Guy Feder, conductor, and actors Shay Humber and Ben Perry. The show is filled not only with famous selections from the actual play, but also with the music of Dukas, Mussorgsky, and John Williams.

The children’s concert will be held at 5:30 p.m., at the Charles Bronfman Cultural Center in Tel Aviv. 

The IPO concert series continues on November 30 in Tel Aviv Bronfman Auditorium. Performances will also be held this season in the Haifa Rappaport Hall, and at the Jerusalem Theatre, with guest conductor Alexandre Bloch and solo clarinetist Sharon Kam. Both artists are coming from overseas, despite the current security situation. 

Concerts will be free of charge for Gaza border families

The updated program will be Prelude in the Afternoon of Faun by Debussy, the Clarinet Concerto No. 1 by Crussel, and Symphony No. 2 by Johannes Brahms.

The selections will be played without any intermission, due to the security situation, and the concerts will begin at 7 p.m. Families from Gaza border communities and the North, who have been evacuated from their homes, are invited to attend the IPO concerts free of charge. 

Bloch has been an IPO guest conductor in previous seasons. He is music director of Orchestre National de Lille, and has built an extensive and distinguished career as a guest conductor, leading prestigious orchestras throughout Europe and the United States. 

Kam has the distinction of being one of the finest clarinetists. Born in Israel, she studied first at the Juilliard School of Music in New York with Charales Neidich, and then made her debut with Zubin Mehta and the IPO when she was 16. She has an international reputation both as a soloist and chamber musician, and has produced an extensive list of fine, award-winning recordings. 

For more information, contact *3766 or ipo.co.il.