Gospel in the Galilee
By MAXIM REIDER
11/07/2012 15:10
Iris and Ofer Portugali open this season’s Keshet Eilon series of topnotch concerts.
Gospel in the Galilee Photo: Courtesy
On November 16, the Keshet Eilon Music Center in Kibbutz Eilon in the western
Galilee opens its concert series with an evening of gospel music, presented by
Iris and Ofer Portugali and their Gospel Ensemble.
This is the 10th
season of the concert series, which attracts a wide audience. The concerts take
place in the spacious new concert hall, which boasts fine acoustics. The varied
programs, compiled by Keshet Eilon CEO Gilad Sheba, appeal to different
audiences, with topnotch musical quality being the common denominator. It is not
by chance that businesswoman and social activist Raya Strauss has chosen to
support Keshet Eilon – the international summer violin master course with
year-round activities – as one of the centers of excellence in the Galilee,
which contributes a lot to the development of the region.
The
kibbutz-born Sheba, who for many years served as a music teacher before becoming
one of Keshet Eilon’s founders, says, “The Galilee is a wonderful area with a
lot of potential. I don’t believe that local music lovers should travel
as far as Tel Aviv to enjoy music; just the opposite. The Galilee is one of the
country’s most beautiful regions, with plenty of tourist attractions. Our ticket
prices are reasonable, and we are most grateful to the artists, who travel as
far as our northern frontier and agree to lower fees because they think it is
important to perform for the culture-hungry and very warm and supportive public.”
This season will feature eight
concerts, which would be sold-out events in any city that appreciates fine
music. Among the performers are the Israeli Chamber Project; Gil Alon,
performing songs by Jacques Brel; the Ariel Quartet and the Mondrian Trio;
Israeli Opera soprano Ira Bertman and tenor Yotam Cohen; and participants of
that Pablo Casals Festival, as well as violinist Hagai Shaham, cellist Raphael
Wallfisch and pianist Arnon Erez.
For more details and reservations:
www.keshetei.org.il