Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra

Leon Botstein, Music Director
Orchestras

Manager: Tim Fox
Management Territory: North America

About

The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, IBA was founded in the 1940s as the National Radio Orchestra and was known as the "Kol Israel Orchestra.” In the 1970s, the orchestra expanded and became the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Broadcasting Authority. Since its inception, the orchestra has had six musical directors: Mendi Rodan, Lukas Foss, Gary Bertini, Lawrence Foster, David Shallon, and, from 2003, Leon Botstein.

Since its inauguration, the orchestra's repertoire has been comprised of an exciting combination of the masterpieces of the . . . past and the most exciting musical compositions written in our generation. The orchestra was the first to perform in Israel the works of Sofia Gubaidolina, Henry Dutilleux, Alfred Schnittke and others. The JSO has always encouraged Israeli composers by commissioning and performing their works. Currently its composer in residence is Betty Olivero.

The JSO presents four concert series every season: the Musical Discoveries Series features both masterpieces and rare works by nineteenth- and twentieth-century composers. This series is conducted by Maestro Botstein and may be heard throughout the United States on public and classical radio stations. The orchestra also offers the more traditional Classical Series; The Oratorios Series in collaboration with the opera house Tel Aviv-Yaffo; and the Do Re Mix Series for children and their families. The orchestra also performs each year during the Israel Festival. It participated in the International Opera Festival in the Roman amphitheater in Caesarea: In May 2000 the orchestra performed Turandot by Puccini and in June 2001 took part in a production of La Forza del Destino by Verdi.

The Orchestra has often toured Europe and the United States, and has played in some of the most prestigious venues, among them in Vienna, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Luzerne and New York. The Orchestra also records regularly. Its next major recording project is a CD for the Milken Archive of Jewish Music.

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