Gil Shaham to perform Dvorák with Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra

Internationally acclaimed and Grammy Award-winning violinist Gil Shaham will join the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Karen Kamensek, herself a Grammy Award-winning artist, for a performance of Antonín Dvorák’s Violin Concerto in a series of shows from June 16-23.

The 53-year-old Shaham grew up in Israel and left at a young age for an international career as one of the world’s leading soloists. On stage, with his gaunt almost haggard features and eyes fixed on the violin, he seems like a Mephistophelean figure, conjoined with the violin as it abides and subjugates itself to his technique. 

Just before arriving in Israel for the first time since the Gaza war began, the New York-based Shaham told The Jerusalem Post that he was eager to visit the country.

“Look, these are tragic times. It’s just an ocean of suffering and tragedy, an ocean of pain. And I do feel that music has a way to bring solace to people. I think music is very life-affirming and brings people together,” he said, appearing uneasy discussing the political situation.

“You know, there was one time when we performed with Zubin Mehta and the Israeli Philharmonic at the BBC Proms, and as we were playing, there were loud protests coming from outside, and even louder counter-protests. I looked at Zubin, and he sort of looked at me and said, ‘Just keep playing, just keep making music.’ I thought that was a good statement on many levels.”

According to Shaham, Dvorák’s Violin Concerto is one of his masterpieces.

“I was thinking a little bit about Beethoven and the great works of the past. Many of them were written during brutal, terrible times. The Dvorák Violin Concerto has a very Beethovenian narrative. When you take a piece that starts in the minor mode but at the end arrives in the major, it really offers hope, you know. And it’s so uplifting in that way. And I think that’s also true for the piece we will be playing,” he said.

A perfect fit

Having performed with the IPO since the 1980s under Mehta, Shaham has had a perfect seat to see its developments over the years.

“I think they are playing better than ever before. There are so many star musicians there,” he said. “It’s interesting for me because nowadays, I feel I’m probably one of the older people on stage. There are some brilliant young musicians, and I feel lucky that they still include me and still want to play with me.”

He added that he had performed with the IPO’s Lahav Shani several times.

“We’ve had several opportunities to play a handful of different concertos. I also got to play with him in his pianist role. I’m a big fan of his and the orchestra,” said Shaham.

Shaham and the IPO will also be performing Bedrich Smetana Vlatava (Moldau), Dvorák’s Slavonic dances, and Richard Strauss’s Four Symphonic Interludes from his 1924 comic Opera Intermezzo.