‘This concerto is not for the violin, but against it,’ conductor Hans von Bülow allegedly said after hearing the only violin concerto that Johannes Brahms ever composed. Perhaps he would have thought differently if he had heard it played by Gil Shaham, who charmed Dvořák Prague audiences four years ago in his role as curator of the Chamber Series and, more importantly, as a soloist performing Dvořák’s Violin Concerto.

Shaham’s everlasting smile and kind energy seem to shine through every note that emanates from his Stradivarius. He will be on a par with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Under their conductor Lahav Shani, the philharmonics will affirm that Brahms did indeed write a grand symphony with solo violin rather than a mere virtuoso piece.

The Brahms 190 concert series, dedicated to the anniversary of Dvořák’s dear friend’s birth, starts off on a high note. The second part of the programme also has indirect references to the festival’s namesake: Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote his Symphonic Dances in the US, but their melodies and atmosphere seem to reflect his longing for his homeland, where it was and still is impossible to live freely.

The following day, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Gil Shaham will feature an all-Brahms evening, with cellist Kian Soltani joining them as another soloist.

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1936 by Bronislaw Huberman and its inaugural concert, on 26 December 1936, was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. The IPO plays in subscription series in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa, in special concerts and in various concert series throughout Israel. The IPO regularly tours the world's cultural centers and prestigious festivals.

Israel's creative artists are promoted by many IPO premieres of works by Israeli composers. The IPO has contributed to the absorption of new immigrants and includes in its ranks new immigrant musicians. The orchestra has hosted the world's greatest conductors and soloists, as well as young talents from Israel and abroad. As part of KeyNote, the IPO's music education and outreach program, IPO musicians perform in numerous schools and concerts for school pupils at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv.

In 1969 Maestro Zubin Mehta was appointed Music Advisor to the IPO and in 1977 he became its Music Director. Maestro Mehta retired in October 2019 and following his retirement, the IPO has named him Music Director Emeritus. Lahav Shani became Music Director in the 2020–21 season.

From 2018, Lahav Shani has been the Chief Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. From the 20/21 season he started his position as Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, taking over from Zubin Mehta who held the position for 50 years. Shani was previously Principal Guest Conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

In June 2016 Shani debuted with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra as conductor and solo pianist. No less than two months later, his appointment as Chief Conductor was announced and he became the youngest conductor to hold the position in the orchestra’s history. The Rotterdam Philharmonic with Shani have an exklusive recording contract with Warner Classics.

Shani’s close relationship with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra began well over 10 years ago. He debuted with the orchestra aged sixteen, and in 2007 performed Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto under the baton of Zubin Mehta aged eighteen. He then went on to play regularly with the orchestra as a double bassist. In 2013, after winning the Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition in Bamberg, the orchestra invited him to step in to conduct their season-opening concerts. Since then, he has returned to the orchestra every year as both a conductor and pianist.

Recent and upcoming guest conductor highlights include engagements with Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhaus Orchester,Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, London Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris and Philharmonia Orchestra. In the 2022/2023 season, Shani will begin his 3-year residency at the Konzerthaus Dortmund.

Born in Tel Aviv in 1989, Shani began his piano studies aged six with Hannah Shalgi, before continuing with Prof. Arie Vardi at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. He went on to study conducting under Prof. Christian Ehwald and piano with Prof. Fabio Bidini at the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler, Berlin and was mentored by Daniel Barenboim during his time there.

As a pianist, Shani has performed as a soloist with Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta and Gianandrea Noseda. He has play-directed piano concerti with many orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, Staatskapelle Berlin and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Shani also has considerable experience performing chamber music and in recital and is a regular performer at the Verbier Festival, and has also appeared at the Aix-en-Provence Easter and Jerusalem Chamber Music Festivals.

It is one of the most exciting experiences to witness what it means to make music at the very highest level. The great violinist Gil Shaham is one of the few whose spontaneity, musical wit and ability to analyse soon turn every performance into an event.

Gil Shaham is a soloist with many of the great orchestras and conductors of our time. He has performed in Berlin and Munich, in Brussels, Amsterdam and Vienna, in New York, Tokyo, London, Chicago, Hamburg, Zurich, Paris, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco. His CD recordings have received the highest honours, including the Grammy, the Grand Prix du Disque, the Diapason d’Or and Gramophone Editor’s Choice. In 1990 and 2008 he was awarded the Avery Fisher Prize, and in 2012 he was honoured by Musical America as “Instrumentalist of the Year”.

Gil Shaham studied with Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang at the Juilliard School in New York. He made his debut with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra at the age of ten and played with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Zubin Mehta for the first time at the age of fourteen.

Gil Shaham has recorded the great violin repertoire for the record label Canary Classics, which he founded in 2004. The violin concertos of the 1930s are particularly close to his heart. Following the release of the first album with five violin concertos from these years, Canary Classics released the second album with the second violin concertos by Bartók and Prokofiev.

Gil Shaham plays the 1699 Stradivarius Countess Polignac and lives in New York with his wife, violinist Adele Anthony, and their three children.

source: Concerto Winderstein

photo © Chris Lee

The Rudolfinum is one of the most important Neo-Renaissance edifices in the Czech Republic. In its conception as a multi-purpose cultural centre it was quite unique in Europe at the time of its construction. Based on a joint design by two outstanding Czech architects, Josef Zítek and Josef Schultz, a magnificent building was erected serving for concerts, as a gallery, and as a museum. The grand opening on 7 February 1885 was attended by Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria, in whose honour the structure was named. In 1896 the very first concert of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra took place in the Rudolfinum's main concert hall, under the baton of the composer Antonín Dvořák whose name was later bestowed on the hall.