Music abounds up north
The spring edition of the Voice of Music in the Upper Galilee Festival takes place at the Pastoral Hotel at Kibbutz Kfar Blum, starting tomorrow and running through Saturday.
This time around, long-serving artistic director and internationally acclaimed cellist, Zvi Plesser has built the threeday agenda around the violin. Over the weekend, an intriguing lineup of violinists will take the stage. The curtain raiser features Hagai Shaham, alongside his 15-year-old son Michael, with daughter Noga playing viola. Plesser is also on board, together with pianist Arnon Erez, for a program that includes works by 19th century French composer Amédée-Ernest Chausson, as well as Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E flat major.
Shaham Sr., Plesser and Erez will also be on call for the second concert to play works by late 19th century-early 20th century Hungarian violinist and composer Jen Hubay, compatriot Zoltan Kodaly, Brahms and early 20th century Russian-born Jewish violinist Joseph Achron.
On Friday (9 p.m.) young singer, violinist and violist Keren Tennenbaum will stretch the festival disciplinary range into more contemporary, and more commercially-oriented, realms with the Strings Attached concert, when she will be joined, among others, by pianist Nir Yatzkan, bass guitarist-vocalist Noam Haimovitch-Weinschel and cellist Hila Epstein. The title of the show references a number by late iconic troubadour Meir Ariel.
The festival closer features works by Baroque violinist and composer Jean-Marie Leclair, Handel, Dvorak and Mendelssohn. There will also be a screening of 1998 Canadian drama The Red Violin, and a trip to the Maronite Church in Gush Halav where the festival patrons will hear excerpts of violin works by Bach.
For tickets and more information: (04) 683-6611 and www.kfarblum-hotel.co.il