History
1995 - 2015
The Galilee Music Center was founded by conductor Ada Pelleg in 1995 and offered a variety of music appreciation courses, master classes, seminars and concerts. In 1997 it was recognized as a non-profit organization (Amutah) and continued its extensive cultural and educational activities in Israel and abroad.
Leading Israeli and International musicians have taken part in the center’s activities over the years , including the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, The Israel Opera Chorus, principal players of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra , among them Uri Shoham, Yossi Arnheim, Ilya Konovalov, Elyakum Satzman, Marcel Bergamn, Amir Van der Hal, pianists Pnina Zaltzman, Yahali Vagman, Roman Rabinovich, Ido Bar-Shai , Xiayin Wang, Roman Lebidev, cellists Raphael Wallfish and Leonid Gorochov, the Carmel String Quartet, the Israel Philharmonic String Quartet, flutists Hans-George Schmeiser, Guoliang Hahn and Andras Adorjan, , singers Ira Bertman, Svetlana Sandler, Yotam Cohen, Felix Speer, Sharon Rostorf-Zamir, Mira Zakai, to name just a few.
The GMC is committed to excellence and to using the unique power of music to bridge the divide between all the communities in Israel, Druze, Arabs, Arameans and Jews. The center’s annual activities include concert series, International Flute Competition, Music Festival and educational activities.
Highlights:
1997
The center launched “Classic Saturday” chamber music concert series and the International Flute Competition. One of the main events was a special event celebrating “Uri Toeplitz and Uri Shoham – Celebrating 50 Years of Flute in Israel”.
1998
The first Haifa International Music Festival featured “My Chopin Marathon” as part of Chopin Year.
1999
The 2nd International Music Festival “Mostly Recorder” hosted Swedish recorder player Dan Lauren and German recorder player Michael Hall.
2000
The GMC resident orchestra was formed comprised of the principal players of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Chinese flutist Jin Ta won the International Flute competition.
2001
The GMC orchestra played under the direction of Ada Pelleg two concerts in the Columbia Festival of the Arts in Maryland USA. Flutist Jin Ta soloed in the “Improvisation for Flute and Orchestra” written by Syrian composer Nuri El-Ruheibani’s.
2002
German flutist Brita Jacobs won the International Flute competition.
2003
The center’s orchestra performed under the direction of Ada Pelleg in “Towards Humanity” concert in London. Lebanese flutist Wissam Boustany played Israeli composer Maxim Levi’s concerto for flute and orchestra.
2004
The center had its first concerts GMC orchestra under the direction of Ada Pelleg.
2005
Turkish flutist Elif Yurdakul won the International Flute Competition.
2006
The center expanded its annual activities to Safed and initiated a new concert series Classic in Safed. The center’s orchestra under the direction of Ada Pelleg was commissioned by the Brazilian Composers Union to record “Made in Brazil” with flutist James Strauss
2007
The center produced an opera for children composed by Maxim Levi to libretti by Yigal Amitai.
2008
Alexanderr Zemtsov, principal violist of the London Symphony Orchestra, was the main guest in Safed, performed in chamber music and gave master classes to young musicians in the Galilee.
2009
The Slovenian flutist Spela Krzan won the International Flute Competition. The Chinese flutists Guoliang Han, and the Austrian flutist Hans-George Schmeiser, were among main jurors.
2010
Mozart Requiem was featured in the first concert in the Maronite Church in Gush Halav, featuring the center’s orchestra, the Israel opera Chorus and soloists under the direction of Ada Pelleg.
2011
Chinese pianist Xiayin Wang was the main guest. She played with flutist Spella Krzan and the Israel Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Ada Pelleg.
2012
The center produces the main concert of Ein- Gev Music Festival with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, three choruses and soloists under the direction of Ada Pelleg.
2013
Yossi Arnheim was appointed music director of the International Flute Competition. Israeli flutist Margarit Timoshin won the competition. GMC produced the inaugural concert of the new auditorium Stef Wertheimer built in Nazareth Industrial Park.
2014
The center’s production of Haydn’s Theresienmasse was performed in Henry Crown Auditorium in Jerusalem and was broadcasted worldwide by the European Broadcasting Union. The center was invited by Israel Ambassador to France to produce a Gala Concert celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relation between Israel and France. The Gala concert took place December 2014.
2015
The center expands its liturgical concerts to the Maronite church in Nazareth.