Well-know Israeli composer Noam Sheriff passes away at 83

Sheriff won may prizes over the years including the Acum Prize for his life's work in 1991, the EMET Prize for music in 2003 and the Israel Prize for music in 2011.

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra 521 (photo credit: Yeugene/WikiCommons)
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra 521
(photo credit: Yeugene/WikiCommons)
Noam Sheriff, one of Israel’s most well-known composers, passed away at the age of 83 on Saturday.
Sheriff won many prizes over the years, including the Acum Prize (The Israel Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers of Musical Works) for his life’s work in 1991, the Emet Prize for music in 2003 and the state’s highest cultural honor, the Israel Prize, for music in 2011.
As a conductor, he served as the music director of the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon Lezion and the Israel Chamber Orchestra. In 2004, he was nominated as music director of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra.
Sheriff also regularly taught classes for young conductors and composers in Israel and around the world, specifically at the Musikhochschule in Cologne, Germany, and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, making his international mark not only as a composer but also as an educator.
The composer and conductor was a regular guest on Israeli television where he presented the series “All the Melodies.” In addition, he directed many other music programs for both radio and television.
As part of his involvement in cultural activities, Sheriff founded and conducted numerous music festivals, including Jerusalem’s multidisciplinary arts festival Israel Festival, in the role as music advisor.
One of Sheriff’s latest compositions, “Genesis,” was commissioned and premiered by the Israel Philharmonic at the festive concerts of Israel’s 50th Independence Day, and featured in the prestigious Salzburg festival.