Classical music will abound during the Spring Festival – Violin Leaves March 15-17 weekend, followed by something for fans of improvised music, on the April 12-14 Jazz – Playing Life As It Is.
By BARRY DAVISPOPULAR ISRAELI singer-songwriter Yael Deckelbaum.(photo credit: ASSAF SHANI)
If you’re looking to enjoy some quality music in the lap of pastoral luxury you could do a lot worse than head up to our northernmost reaches, to the Pastoral Hotel at Kfar Blum. The 16th edition of the annual music-based weekend series kicks off on December 21, with the Voice of Israel from Jerusalem three-dayer, which casts a nostalgic look back to the days when the national radio station ruled the media roost.The program features spots with some of the veterans of the local showbiz fraternity, including evergreen 82-year-old Israel Gurion, Hanan Yovel and Uri Harpaz, with 46-year-old guitarist-vocalist Asaf Amdursky, son of Benny Amdursky who performed and recorded with Gurion and Yovel for many years, also joining in the fun. The musicians will be joined by a bunch of leading radio personnel, including Yoav Karkovski, Aaron Perera and Eran Litvin.The second offering, Between Jerusalem and Berlin, which takes place January 11-13, examines the artistic and cultural bond between Israel and Germany over the years. German-born, Israeli-bred actress, director and playwright Sara von Schwarze is on the weekend roster, as are veteran journalist and lecturer on German history David Witzthum, opera singer Keren Hadar and pianist, composer and conductor Gil Shochat.Things should get a little louder on January 25-27, for the Love, Peace and Rock and Roll weekend, featuring the Beatles for Sale band, an Elvis Presley show with the Moses Sea Band and a performance by singer-songwriter Yael Deckelbaum, while Lior Aviram’s Who’s Afraid of Rock lecture will enlighten the Pastoral Hotel patrons about the evolution of rock music against the backdrop of landmark events of the time.Classical music will abound during the Spring Festival – Violin Leaves March 15-17 weekend, followed by something for fans of improvised music, on the April 12-14 Jazz – Playing Life As It Is weekend. The latter features the veteran Platina combo, Alon Olearchick and the Alon Farber Quintet. The 2017-18 season ends with a weekend of Baroque music May 10-12.Betwixt the weekend stuff the season organizers have lined up a bunch of oneday slots in the areas of literature, the culinary arts, culture in the wider sense, and more music.For tickets and more information: (04) 683- 6611 and www.kfarblum-hotel.co.il
