Israel Philharmonic

The day we got back from Turkey, we went to see the Israel Philharmonic! It was triply exciting because Pinchas Zukerman was going to be soloing and conducting!! I LOVE this man! He is so stinking good at violin! I have listened to a bunch of his recordings and I love his style and interpretations. Oh wow, I was so excited!!

The symphony was at the International Convention Center (the same place where we had our half-marathon dinner!), but I'm not sure if this is the regular hall that the Philharmonic performs in. We walked in through some security, and then the program cost 18 shekels. Which is like, 5 bucks! WHAT! Of course I bought one, cause this is a once in a lifetime thing, but MAN, what a rip-off...

The program was:

Serenade in E minor for strings by Edward Elgar
L'amero saro costante, aria from II Re Pastore, K. 208 (vocal solo with violin/mphorchestra accomp.)
Concerto no 3 in G major for violin and orchestra by Mozart (the vocal solo was by Mozart, too)
Symphony no 5 in B-flat major by Franz Schubert

There were about 16 people that went! India, Taylor and Michelle were among them. I haven't talked about Taylor yet, but she is INCREDIBLE. Really, one of the most spectacular people I've ever met. I really love her. AND she served her mission with Dan! Which makes me like her even more :)

Here is Mr. Zukerman and his daughter, Arianna Zukerman, doing the Mozart aria. She had an incredible voice that just pierced the hall. It was really beautiful! I loved that they were father and daughter...I want to perform with my children someday!

The Mozart Violin Concerto!! AAHH, it blew my mind! I was freaking out the whole time! He's SO GOOD! It has been a long while since I've heard a violin soloist, so I was extra excited. His touch was masterful, he made the concerto look SO EASY! There were a lot of mini-cadenzas stuck in there, and each one was beautiful. His dynamic range was so fluid and accessible, and he accomplished it so masterfully! Within a matter of a few notes he would just paint a picture with strong and pale sounds, it was incredible! Wow. I was freaking out. It was just....wow. He's one of my favorites for a REASON!! :)

The Schubert Symphony was really beautiful, too! I've never seen Mr. Zukerman conduct, and it was really interesting to watch. He was very fluid with his motions, and I had a hard time keeping track of the beat for a long while. But then I figured that the ictus of the beat wasn't when the baton hit its lowest point--it was when it hit the highest point. So basically, the downbeat was an upbeat. It was kinda weird! I think I would have had a hard time following him :)

All in all, the concert was so amazing. Music is one of the most pure forms of joy that I have ever experienced. I absolutely love music, and it plays such an incredible role in my life. There is a classical piece for every emotion that you can feel, and I honestly believe that Heavenly Father has inspired a great many composers with melodies that help people feel the Spirit. It was amazing to see an orchestra across the world play the same music that I learn in a practice room--music really is the universal language, one that everybody can speak! Music can touch hearts even when there is a language barrier. I am so grateful for music, and I absolutely love it! :)