Out & About
We’re not Haydn! Learn more about our activities around the world.
My Dinky Kitchen
Do not let the name fool you: AFIPO West Coast Director Justin Pressman’s baked goods, as chronicled on his Instagram account mydinkykitchen, are fit for the upper crust. From mango dôme entrement to chocolate pistachio biscotti, Justin’s edible masterpieces look just as good as they taste. Here is what Justin had to say about his love of music, and his life as a fine arts professional and baker extraordinaire. Do you listen to music while you bake? I always listen to music while I bake (and for me, that’s classical m...
Read MoreDining In with Tanya Zuckerbrot
Dining in with Tanya Zuckerbrot If you’re a foodie who likes to blend hearty and healthy, you’ve likely come across Tanya Zuckerbrot on your Instagram feed. Known for her fabulous “F-Factor” diet program, Tanya is a registered dietitian who is changing what it means to “watch what you eat.” We were lucky enough to speak to her recently about staying healthy during challenging times, and her take on the connection between music and food. How did you find your passion for nutrition and starting the F-Factor progr...
Read MoreEmily’s Note
Emily Kane Miller served as Guest Editor of American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s August 2020 newsletter. This is her editorial note. Music and food are like fraternal twins. Although different, they possess magical similarities. Each can transport, soothe, and provide a capsule to share love. An avid home chef, BC (“Before COVID-19”), on Friday afternoons you could always find me rushing around the kitchen, hurrying to get everything on my slightly-too-ambitious menu made just in time before a ho...
Read MoreEmily Recommends
Recipes from Israel Emily Kane Miller served as Guest Editor for AFIPO’s August 2020 newsletter. Here she recommends some of her favorite recipes from Israel! We love Israeli cuisine, but I didn’t always have time to prepare the gorgeous layers of flavor these dishes demand. Here are four I’ve added to my pandemic repertoire. Each is delicious, kid approved, and guaranteed to transport you. Press play on your favorite Israel Philharmonic performance, and get cooking. Anything from Adeena Sussman’s cookbook Sabab...
Read MoreSix Questions with Israel Phil’s Jenia Pikovsky, Linor Katz, and Miriam Hartman
IPO musicians Jenia Pikovsky (Violin), Linor Katz (Cello), and Miriam Hartman (Viola) share how they found their love for music, their new routine during quarantine, and more. AFIPO: To start things off, what inspired you to play your instrument? Linor Katz: When I was eleven years old, I attended a concert where I was exposed to the beautiful shape and sound of the cello. At that moment, I knew I wanted ...
Read MoreMeet the Musician: IPO Violist Matan Noussimovitch
Young IPO violist Matan Noussimovitch shares his passion for music, connection to the IPO and how he has been spending his days in quarantine. My name is Matan Noussimovitch and I started playing the violin at the age of 6. My grandfather used to buy me toys but there came a time when they no longer interested me, except for the toy violin he gave me. Apparently I really liked the toy violin and asked him if I coul...
Read More6 Questions For Stephanie Yoshida, 2019 New York YPC Gala Chair
At the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, our community is our pride and joy. We recently checked back in with Stephanie Yoshida—AFIPO’s 2019 New York YPC Gala Chair, in-house counsel at private equity firm Landmark Partners, and a remarkable ambassador for classical music. She answered six questions about the role of musical organizations, how the arts are impacted by COVID-19, and how classical m...
Read More5 Questions for Kfir Gavrieli, AFIPO Board Member
American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra believes in the power of music to move the world, forge connections, and inspire belief in a brighter future. We are proud to have supporters who make the world a better place—such as Kfir Gavrieli, a member of our National Board of Directors and CEO of women’s shoe brand, Tieks, who has channeled his energy into helping Los Angeles prepare for the Coronavirus cris...
Read MoreA Legacy in the Making
Abigail Stern, dynamo fashion designer of technical performance intimates / apparel company Matek, has an irrepressible zest for art, creativity, music, and Israel. We sat down with her to learn more. How are you involved with AFIPO? My whole family’s been involved with the organization for years, since before I was born. My grandma, Jane Stern Lebell, is a huge advocate of AFIPO and has always taught me the importance of supporting Israel and the arts. Do you have other connections to Israel? My mom is Israeli, and my who...
Read MoreSpotlight: Tricia and Jason Pantzer
Tu B’av (the 15th of Av – also the 15th of August this year) is the Jewish Valentine’s Day. Enjoy this heartwarming AFIPO love story in honor of the day! I met my husband, Jason, at an AFIPO gala back in 1998. He was there because his mother was involved in the organization. I was there because my friend had gotten tickets and invited me to join. I met Jason, we got to talking, discovered our mutual love...
Read MoreOur Voices
We asked friends and orchestra members what they wanted to share about the IPO. Sharon Gabriel, Chair of San Diego Friends of the IPO: “The beauty of the music, the community, and the artistry have always filled me with pride…. Nothing makes me prouder to be Jewish and a friend of Israel than the IPO: Israel’s great cultural ambassador.” Yoel Abadi, IPO horn player and Chairman of the management of the Orchestra: “Our structure is unique and collaborative;...
Read MoreSpotlight: Adrienne Adar
Meet Adrienne Adar, a sound artist and photographer in Los Angeles who serves on our Young Patrons Circle committee, and is the daughter of Camille and Arnon Adar, members of our West Coast Chairman’s Council, which Arnon chairs. Adrienne creates interactive sound installations that use state-of-the-art sonic technology to record living plants by connecting succulents and cacti to microphones and speakers. The plants release a myriad of sounds, tones, swooshes, and hums. Her exhibit, “Sonic Succulents: Plant So...
Read MoreSpotlight: Helgard & Irwin Field
Announcing Our New Board Co-Presidents, Helgard & Irwin Field Helgard is a long-time AFIPO board member and dedicated supporter of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. “I care a lot about the wellbeing of the Israeli people and Israel’s reputation internationally,” she said. “I have always believed that the Israel Philharmonic creates the best goodwill imaginable when it travels the world.&...
Read MoreSpotlight Zubin Mehta
Spotlight Zubin Mehta Mehta’s final, historic concert as Music Director was held on October 20th in the Charles Bronfman Auditorium, broadcast live on Medici.TV. The full scope of the IPO’s celebration of Zubin Mehta’s jubilee included performances with some of the world’s greatest artists, including Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, Yefim Bronfman, Denis Matsuev, Gil Shaham, Mischa Maisky, Fazil Say, Chen Reiss and more. These last three minutes of Mehta conducting Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection”– t...
Read MoreA THANK YOU LETTER TO ZUBIN MEHTA
Dear Zubin, I want to say a few words on behalf of all the Orchestra members, past and present, and their families. After so much have been said in the past few weeks, I simply want to say thank you. Thank you for what you have done for our orchestra our lives and the cultural life of Israel. Zubin, you are a source of admiration and inspiration for us in so many ways. I can only name a few. One of them is your total commitment to your responsibilities as music director. On top of taking us on tours all over the world, yo...
Read MoreInterview with Maestro Zubin Mehta
INTERVIEW WITH MAESTRO ZUBIN MEHTA By Tali Gottlieb, Executive Director of the IPO Foundation What is the source of your unique relations with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra? How did this very special relationship come about? The Orchestra and I are distantly related, through Indian Persian cousins – Ahashverosh who married the Jewish Esther. One of Esther’s children left for India and married one of my gr...
Read MoreQ & A WITH POLLY LEVINE
Polly Levine is a an AFIPO Board Member and accomplished chef. An active member of AFIPO’s vibrant artistic community, Polly plays an integral part in supporting the IPO’s work around the world. Hi Polly. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Can you tell us a little about yourself? I’m a native Californian; however, I raised my family in Phoenix, Arizona. I studied Art History, but always had a passion for food and cooking. In 2009, I opened a restaurant in Phoenix, featuring farm-to-table food....
Read MoreQ & A with Gala Co-Chair Stacey Bronfman
Why do you support AFIPO? I don’t play an instrument, but I love music and appreciate it. I feel tremendous joy knowing that supporting AFIPO means that young musicians in Israel will flourish. There’s such a concentration of talent in Israel – and with support, it can all reach its potential. What’s your favorite, recent IPO memory? I was in Israel last June, and I went straight from the airport to an IPO “Conc...
Read MoreShesh Besh in America
The IPO’s East-West Ensemble brings its multi-ethnic harmony to the U.S. in March and April Shesh Besh, the Israel Philharmonic’s acclaimed Arab-Jewish ensemble, is coming to America for ten concerts in late March and early April. There will be four East Coast performances beginning March 24 (three in Washington, D.C. and one in Philadelphia) and six West Coast concerts (five in California and one in Portland) beginning April 1. (Complete schedule follows) “The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra does more t...
Read MoreAFIPO Donors: The Gold Standard
At 95, it’s not her AFIPO titles that Ruth Gold holds dearest, but indelible memories of concerts and conductors. Ruth Gold‘s support of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra has been significant and long-term. She is a member of its board of directors, Honorary President of its West Coast Chairman’s Council, and one of only seven Life Members on the IPO’s International Board of Governors. “Ruth has always been the grande dame of AFIPO on the West Coast,” said A...
Read MoreA Palm Beach Benefit
In Florida, the IPO tour will include three concerts and two benefits, one of which honors AFIPO supporters Tamar and Milton Maltz At the heart of this month’s six-city U.S. tour by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra are concerts in three Florida cities. Two of them will be preceded by benefit events, one of which honors the exceptional support of two special members of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The three Florida concerts will be February 5 at the Kravis Center for the Performing ...
Read MoreMeeting Mehta in L.A.
AFIPO members meet the Maestro, Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth during an exclusive rehearsal event at Disney Hall On Saturday, January 5, hours before the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s evening performance in Walt Disney Concert Hall, the orchestra had a full rehearsal, filling the empty auditorium with the majestic sound of Brahms. Not all the seats were empty, however. Out beyond the reach of the stage lights were ten major donors and board officers of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra...
Read MoreFrom Italy with Love
“Meal and a Spiel,” a new cookbook from Young Patrons Circle member Elana Horwich, gives Italian food a California accent. If you were to take the most delicious Italian dishes, translate them for healthy contemporary California consciousness in recipes seasoned with Jewish comic timing, you’d have the necessary ingredients for a fascinating cookbook. That’s just what AFIPO Young Patrons Circle member Elana Horwich has done. Meal and a Spiel: How to be a Badass in the Kitchen is a beautiful ad...
Read MoreFamily Music Day in L.A.
The popular event for children and their parents returns to the Beverly Hills Hotel on January 13 featuring Orli Shaham The fabled Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard is the annual destination of people from around the world. On January 13, one who will make her third trip in as many years is Emma Dorner. Not bad for a 6-year-old. The occasion is the AFIPO’s Family Music Day, an annual event for children and their parents that provides interactive musical experiences for the kids of Young Patrons Circle m...
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