BySARAH HERSHENSON

Thankfully, as we emerge from the pandemic, no longer is Zoom the only way one can attend musical performances in Israel.

Steadily, our orchestras and performance ensembles are returning to the magical connection between people and live music. Although audiences might be fewer in number, masked, and sitting socially distanced, the excitement and verve of both orchestra members and listeners fills the halls.

The Ra’anana Symphonette continues through July with “The Mini Season,” the series comprised of soloists and earlier programs, which had to be canceled due to coronavirus restrictions. Three members of the internationally celebrated Zori family will be soloists with the RSO and conductor Adam Allouche, in a series highlighting duos, trios, solos and string music seemingly created for the ensemble.
“We are siblings in real life and string players in music,” says cellist Hillel Zori exuberantly in a phone conversation with The Jerusalem Post. Modestly and proudly, he speaks about his family and siblings.

“My brother, Nitai, is both a violinist and violist, and we are twins. We have two sisters, Carmit, a violinist with careers in both the US and Israel, and our sister Ruth, who is a very active pianist and pedagogue.

“My violinist brother is one of the most active orchestral and chamber music players in the country. He is also concertmaster of the RSO, making frequent appearances internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. A sought-after jurist and teacher in the most prestigious music festivals in the world, he is a founding member of the Alexander Trio with cellist Ella Toovy and pianist Michal Tal. In addition, he is on the string faculty of the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University.

“My sister Carmit lives in New York and is a violinist in demand in the United States, Europe and in Israel. She is on the faculty of SUNY Purchase and Rutgers University, and records extensively on Koch International, Arabesque and Elektra – Nonesuch labels. It is a joyful bonus for us to play with our sister.”

What was it like to be born into a musical family? Zori answers candidly, “Our house was constantly ringing!”

“Both our parents were born in Tel Aviv. Our father, Zvi, is a musician and author, and our mother a retired Talmud expert and poet. We were brought up totally in music.”

Cellist Hillel Zori is head of the string department at TAU’s Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. “I live in Israel and this is the center of my life. For 30 years, the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music TAU has been a very warm home for me. Many of my students hold positions in orchestras both in Israel and abroad, and I find Israel a central place for me professionally.”

Zori made his debut at age 15 with the Israel Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta, and is considered one of the eminent solo cellists both in Israel and abroad. During the past 10 years, he has expanded his base into the areas of composition and arranging.

“I believe this is a skill which was hiding and waiting,” he explains. “When I have time to compose, I find it rewarding because it enables me to develop as a musician. The composer has to understand the sound, the structure and how to develop a musical idea so that it makes sense. It enables the musician to see more than the notes.”

In closing, Zori makes it a point to include a “thank you” to Orit Fogel, general manager of the RSO and music director of the RSO, Omer Wellber, for the opportunity to have the Zori siblings together on stage as string players, and as siblings who are together in life and in music.

For tickets and further information: 09-745-7773 and the: https://www.symphonette.co.il/en/home