Netanya chamber orchestra celebrates jubilee season
Resilience has to be the trademark of the Netanya Kibbutz Chamber Orchestra (NKO). Despite the yearlong COVID-19 pandemic closure and the fact that they have not yet found a sponsor for the 2021-22 season, they will open this season with six performances throughout Israel and celebrate their Jubilee anniversary of 50 years of concerts with live audiences. Performances will take place between March 18 – 25 in Bet Gavriel on the Kinneret, Givat Brenner, Ein Hashofet, Nahariya, and Tel Aviv Recanati Hall, all in compliance with the Ministry of Health Purple Badge guidelines.
“I believe the public is hungry for culture,” says NKO guest conductor Doron Salomon. “After a year of silence, both audience and musicians will have the opportunity not only to enjoy live concerts but also to ‘rediscover’ beloved repertoire. Beethoven might have composed his symphonies hundreds of years ago, but we now can approach the familiar as one who is reborn, finding new ideas, tempos and a freshness of spirit.”
In the past few weeks with the avenues of culture slowly opening up, Salomon received invitations to conduct concerts from four different orchestras in Israel: The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, The Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion, Haifa Symphony Orchestra and the NKO. “This is the second time this year I am ‘opening’ the season for the Jerusalem Symphony,” relates Salomon. “The first opening in June 2020 was short-lived after we were met with a lockdown!”
“Since we now we have the vaccine and hopefully know better how to live with coronavirus, to open and celebrate with the NKO is a delight. I was the principal conductor of the NKO between 1993-98, and am nostalgic and appreciative to be leading their Jubilee concerts throughout the country in larger and the smaller venues where I initiated performance seasons for NKO 12 years ago. It is tremendously gratifying.”
Salomon is considered one of the top Israeli conductors. Throughout the year of closure, he was asked by different orchestras to lead online concerts. “There were benefits and challenges,” he opines. “and I would like to continue working through this media. However, conducting before live audiences and making human contact is unique. Cameras are not a replacement for the energy created with a live audience,” he says.
“Our program for Jubilee concerts is versatile and appealing. We chose music spanning centuries: Haydn Symphony No. 49, “The Passion,” Dances of Galánta by Zoltan Kodály, and Violin Concerto No.1 in E minor by Max Bruch. It is our privilege to have as violin soloist Hagai Shaham, who is an internationally acclaimed, brilliant and sensitive musician.”
Shaham is also celebrating with the NKO his first live performances this season . “I was scheduled to play in Finland this week, but the concert halls are closed due to the pandemic sweeping across Europe,” he explained to The Jerusalem Post. “They do not project openings before June or July. Only then, will I be able to do my canceled concert tour of Finland, the United States, and China.”
“This year, my job has been to stay in good form, remain optimistic, creative, and explore new repertoire, “he says. Known for his beautiful sound, Shaham is grateful Zoom upgraded their sound capabilities. “It enabled teaching students, via Zoom, at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University, where
I am professor, and the Master Classes I give in New York to be successful and fulfilling. We are lucky technology has progressed, and online teaching and concerts can happen at a high level. If the pandemic happened ten years previous, we would not have been in such a good position.”
“I am excited to play Bruch’s E minor violin concerto, one of the great Romantic works, with the NKO, which is one of Israel’s finest orchestras and Number 1 outreach orchestra, before live audiences in Israel’s cities and the outlying communities. Music is a joy to be shared.”
Ticket information: Tickets available only by telephone or through the website: 077-466-1766 or *3579 nko.smarticket.co.il