Hagai Shaham ( he, חגי שחם, born July 8, 1966) is an
Israeli
Israeli may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel
* Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel
* Modern Hebrew, a language
* ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008
* Guni Israeli (b ...
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
virtuoso
A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such a ...
.
He began studying the violin at the age of six and was the last student of the late Professor
Ilona Feher. He is also a violin teacher, a professor
[Professor Hagai Shaham's webpage at the Tel-Aviv University, Israel]
at the
Buchmann-Mehta School of Music
The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (BMSM) is an institute of higher education in Tel Aviv, Israel. The school is a part of the Faculty of the Arts of Tel Aviv University and is operated in collaboration with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) ...
(formerly the Samuel Rubin Israel Academy of Music), in the Faculty of Arts at
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
, and an artist-in-residence at
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system's ...
.
Performing career
As a
soloist he has performed with many of the world's major orchestras, including the
English Chamber Orchestra
The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. The orchestra regularly tours in the UK and internationall ...
,
BBC Philharmonic
The BBC Philharmonic is a national British broadcasting symphony orchestra and is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Philharmonic is a department of the BBC North Group division based at Med ...
,
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmon ...
,
RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland,
Belgian National Orchestra,
Orchestre Symphonique Francais,
National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra
The National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra (NTSO; ), founded in 1945, is the oldest symphony orchestra in Taiwan. It is based in Wufeng, Taichung.
Conductors Principle Guest Conductor
* Lan Shui (首席客席指揮:水藍), 2019-present
Past ...
,
Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra
The Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra (also known in English as the SWR Baden-Baden Freiburg Symphony Orchestra and in German as the Sinfonieorchester des Südwestrundfunks) was a German radio orchestra located in the German cities of Bad ...
,
Slovak Philharmonic
The Slovak Philharmonic or Slovak State Philharmonic (Slovenská filharmónia) is a Slovak symphony orchestra based in Bratislava. Founded in 1949, the orchestra has resided since the 1950s in the Baroque era Reduta Bratislava concert hall constr ...
, and the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is an Israeli symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv. Its principal concert venue ...
under
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta (born 29 April 1936) is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. He is music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Mehta's father was the foun ...
. In 1985 he was invited to join
Isaac Stern
Isaac Stern (July 21, 1920 – September 22, 2001) was an American violinist.
Born in Poland, Stern came to the US when he was 14 months old. Stern performed both nationally and internationally, notably touring the Soviet Union and China, and ...
and
Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman ( he, פנחס צוקרמן, born 16 July 1948) is an Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor.
Life and career
Zukerman was born in Tel Aviv, to Jewish parents and Holocaust survivors Yehuda and Miriam Lieberman Zuk ...
in a gala concert at
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
, following which Zubin Mehta invited him to perform
Brahms
Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...
'
Double Concerto
A double concerto (Italian: ''Doppio concerto''; German: ''Doppelkonzert'') is a concerto featuring two performers—as opposed to the usual single performer, in the solo role. The two performers' instruments may be of the same type, as in Bach's ...
at Carnegie Hall. In 2006 Hagai Shaham was again invited by Zubin Mehta to play Brahms' Double Concerto, together with cellist
Mischa Maisky
Mischa Maisky ( lv, Miša Maiskis, he, מישה מייסקי, russian: Миша Майский; born 10 January 1948) is a Soviet-born Israeli cellist.
Biography
Mischa Maisky was born in 1948 in Riga and is the younger brother of organist, har ...
, to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is an Israeli symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv. Its principal concert venue ...
.
He also performs as a
recital
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety an ...
ist and appears in
chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...
performances. He regularly tours throughout Europe, and North and South America, performing at international recital series and festivals.
Recording
He has
recorded[Recording with notes, samples, and reviews]
at ''ArkivMusic.com'' on the Biddulph,
Hyperion Records
Hyperion Records is an independent British classical record label.
History
Hyperion is an independent British classical label that was established in 1980 with the goal of showcasing recordings of music in all genres and from all time period ...
,
[ Avie, ]Naxos Records
Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about 1 ...
, Talent, and more labels, music of Achron
''Achron'' is a real-time strategy computer game. It is considered to be the first "meta-time strategy game" (Real-time strategy with time travel), notable for being the first game with free-form multiplayer time travel and its themes of concept ...
, Bloch Bloch is a surname of German origin. Notable people with this surname include:
A–F
* (1859-1914), French rabbi
*Adele Bloch-Bauer (1881-1925), Austrian entrepreneur
*Albert Bloch (1882–1961), American painter
* (born 1972), German motor journal ...
, Brahms
Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...
, Hubay, Grieg, Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
, and more.
The forgotten work of Joseph Achron
Hagai Shaham has found unpublished compositions of Joseph Achron
Joseph Yulyevich Achron, also seen as Akhron (Russian: Иосиф Юльевич Ахрон, Hebrew: יוסף אחרון) (May 1, 1886April 29, 1943) was a Russian-born Jewish composer and violinist, who settled in the United States. His preoccu ...
(1886–1943) at the National Library at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
, and performed and recorded them (short pieces, some appearing for the first time). A CD was published in 1997 by ''Biddulph Recordings,'' London.[''Stempenyu - The violin music of Joseph Achron'', Hagai Shaham, violin, and Arnon Erez, piano (LAW 021), ''Biddulph Recordings,'' London, 1997; see als]
Hagai Shaham's Joseph Achron CD
at amazon.com An expanded version of this CD, with Achron's complete suites for violin and piano (2 CDs) has been published by ''Hyperion'' in 2012.[Joseph Achron - Complete Suites for Violin & Piano]
Hagai Shaham (violin), Arnon Erez (piano), CDA67841 (2 CDs), ''Hyperion'', 2012.
Some quotes from reviews:
"The quasi-mystical intensity of Shaham's reading throbs like Heifetz's with the ecstasy of ritual declamation. His off-the-string bowings strike sparks, and his rapid passage work glitters; but ... he also communicates the mystery of more somber numbers. His powerful tone ... intensifies the effect of both the soaring Romantic and the insinuating Hebrew passages ... an impressive a technique as anyone except Heifetz could bring" - ''Fanfare Magazine
''Fanfare'' is an American bimonthly magazine devoted to reviewing recorded music in all playback formats. It mainly covers classical music, but since inception, has also featured a jazz column in every issue.
History and profile
''Fanfare'' wa ...
''
"An exceptionally welcome release ... outstanding lyric quality ... Through the richness of his tone, superior vibrato usage, expressiveness of phrasing and top-drawer facility, he fulfills his potential in striking fashion. It is a treat to hear such tonally satisfying violin playing when commonplace sound, even among accomplished artists, is so prevalent" - '' The Strad Magazine''
"Shaham's approach achieves and ideal balance between expressive colouring ... and collaborative restraint. Hagai Shaham inhabits the same stylistic world as his great forebearers. He obviously respects past masters, and yet his playing eschews specific imitation (in his handling of those pieces recorded by Heifetz, Elman, Kaufman
Kaufman or Kauffman may refer to:
People
* Kaufmann (surname) ''Includes Kaufman, Kauffman, Kauffmann''
Places
* Kaufman, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Madison Count
* Kaufman, Texas, a city in Kaufman County
* Kaufman County, Texa ...
and others)" - ''Gramophone Magazine
''Gramophone'' is a magazine published monthly in London, devoted to classical music, particularly to reviews of recordings. It was founded in 1923 by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie who continued to edit the magazine until 1961. It was ac ...
''
About half of Joseph Achron's compositions (over 100 total) were unpublished in his lifetime (1886–1943). By sheer luck the manuscripts have been saved from disposal and arrived in the Hebrew University (see more in the CD's elaborated notes, in English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, Hebrew
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
, and Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...
).[
]
Teaching
Combined with his career as a performer Hagai Shaham teaches violin playing and conducts master class
A master class is a Class (education), class given to students of a particular Academic discipline, discipline by an expert of that discipline—usually music, but also science, painting, drama, games, or on any other occasion where skills are b ...
es, primarily in Israel and Europe. He was a faculty member of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance ( he, האקדמיה למוסיקה ולמחול בירושלים), is a school for the music and the performing arts in Jerusalem. It is located on the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusa ...
. In 2007, he joined the music faculty at the renowned Thornton School of Music
The USC Thornton School of Music is a private music school in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1884 only four years after the University of Southern California, the Thornton School is the oldest continually operating arts institution in Los An ...
at the University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...
(USC; where Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz (; December 10, 1987) was a Russian-born American violinist. Born in Vilnius, he moved while still a teenager to the United States, where his Carnegie Hall debut was rapturously received. He was a virtuoso since childhood. Fritz ...
has taught violin playing). Since 2009 he has been a professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
[ at the ]Buchmann-Mehta School of Music
The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (BMSM) is an institute of higher education in Tel Aviv, Israel. The school is a part of the Faculty of the Arts of Tel Aviv University and is operated in collaboration with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) ...
(formerly the Samuel Rubin Israel Academy of Music), in the Faculty of Arts at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University (TAU) ( he, אוּנִיבֶרְסִיטַת תֵּל אָבִיב, ''Universitat Tel Aviv'') is a public research university in Tel Aviv, Israel. With over 30,000 students, it is the largest university in the country. Locate ...
. He is currently teaching at Stony Brook University
Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system's ...
in Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
, NY. In the summer months, he teaches at th
Heifetz International Music Institute
in Staunton, VA.
Shaham is online Master Teacher at iClassical Academy with whom he has recorded several online Masterclasses.
Awards
In September 1990, Hagai Shaham and his duo partner Arnon Erez won the first prize
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements. at the ARD International Music Competition
The ARD International Music Competition (german: link=no, Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD) is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is organised by the Bayerischer Rundfunk and held once a year in Munich.
Si ...
in Munich in the Violin-Piano duo category, the first competitors to be awarded this coveted first prize since 1971. His other award
An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration.
An awar ...
s include first prizes at the Ilona Kornhouser competition, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority Young Artist competition, The Tel-Aviv Rubin Academy competition, four Clairmont Awards, and annual scholarship from the American-Israel Cultural Foundation.
More
Hagai Shaham is a co-founder of the Ilona Feher Foundation
The Ilona Feher Foundation was established in 2003 as a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing the artistic development of exceptional young Israelis, Israeli violinists. The foundation honors the late violin pedagogue Ilona Feher (1901– ...
.
He is married and has three children. Mezzo-soprano Rinat Shaham is his sister.
References
External links
* Piano: Arnon Erez.
* Piano: Arnon Erez.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaham, Hagai
Israeli classical violinists
Male classical violinists
Jewish classical violinists
Israeli music educators
Violin pedagogues
USC Thornton School of Music faculty
Jewish Israeli musicians
Living people
1966 births
Musicians from Haifa
20th-century classical violinists
21st-century classical violinists
20th-century Israeli educators
20th-century Israeli male musicians
21st-century Israeli educators
21st-century Israeli male musicians