Classical Music: Solo players

Celebrating its 10th season this year, the Tel Aviv Soloist Ensemble presents a fresh and interesting program.

By MAXIM REIDER
Soloist Ensemble 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Soloist Ensemble 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
‘The idea 10 years ago was to create a young and fresh orchestra that consists of talented, well-trained musicians who are relatively the same age and have a lot in common, thus creating a homogeneous ensemble,” says Barak Tal, founder and conductor of the ensemble.
And it obviously worked. For years, the ensemble has been hosted by the Chamber Music Center of the Israeli Music Conservatory in Tel Aviv, but its present concert series takes place at Haifa’s Rappoport Auditorium, at the Weil Auditorium of Tel Aviv’s upscale suburb of Kfar Shmaryahu and at Ganei Tikva in the framework of live broadcast Etnahta series and in Kfar Saba, as well as making a special appearance at the Feast of Israeli Music performing the work of local composers.
Aside from this gala concert, the ensemble, which has been uniting young Israeli musicians, has a lot to offer during its regular season.
Music of the classical period, such as Haydn’s symphonies, constitutes the major body of the ensemble’s repertoire, but it also plays contemporary music. Among other programs are a fully staged Mozart opera The Shepherd King with members of the Opera Studio as soloists, or the season opener with Moran Beit Yitzhak, one of the country’s leading choirs. Another highlight is the world premiere of Sergei Prokofiev’s concerto for two pianos – an unfinished piece, completed by Israeli composer Ron Weidberg (soloists Gil Garburg and Sivan Silver). Among the soloists who will appear with the Ensemble this year are violinist Hagai Shaham and Israeli pianist and conductor David Greilsammer, who is recognized as one of the most adventurous and imaginative artists of today.
The soloists will hold a gala concert in December, with participation of internationally acclaimed Israeli musicians of the younger generation, such as cellist Zvi Plesser, clarinetist Chen Halevi, pianist Matan Porat and violinist Sergei Ostrovsky.
For further information and reservations: www.soloists.co.il tlv.soloists@gmail.com.