Israel-New York ensemble gives marvelous concert amid security cautions
By Julia Sommer for Ashland.news
The Israeli Chamber Project, a music ensemble featuring some of the world’s most distinguished musicians, came to Ashland for the first time Wednesday, Dec. 4, to give a recital in Southern Oregon University’s Music Recital Hall presented by Chamber Music Concerts, now in its 41st season.
A full house met the group, based in Tel Aviv and New York, with cheers and standing ovations. Not often do chamber music lovers get to hear the unusual pieces made possible by six players playing eight instruments: piano, violin/viola, cello, harp, clarinet/bass clarinet, and flute. For example, the program included Ravel’s “La Valse” and Stravinsky’s “Scenes from Petrushka,” both arranged by Yuval Shapiro.
There was also a fascinating piece by Gilad Cohen: “Around the Cauldron” for piano trio, a sonata for clarinet and harp by Saint-Saens, and Debussy’s “Children’s Corner,” arranged by Carlos Salzedo.
Because of anti-Israel protests, including a very disruptive one at the Israeli Chamber Project concert the night before in Seattle, SOU and CMC took unusual measures to protect the concert, including the presence of two Ashland Police Department and two SOU Campus Public Safety security officers. There was only one protester outside who left when the concert began. The concert was not disturbed.
On his way back to New York City, ICP pianist Assaff Weisman sent a note saying: “We were thrilled to appear on the Chamber Music Concerts series in Ashland. The venue’s wonderful acoustics, the audience’s attentive listening and warm reception were all a joy for us to experience. We hope to return again before long.”
The next CMC concert features the Isidore Quartet on Jan. 8. For more information about CMC concerts, see chambermusicconcerts.org.
For more about the Israeli Chamber Project, see israelichamberproject.org.
Email freelance writer Julia Sommer of Ashland at juliamsommer@gmail.com.
Dec. 8: Corrected information about ensemble’s base.
