Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
music's distinctiveness and importance to Israeli culture. Zohar Argov employed the latter
strategy in a career that has been compared to that of Elvis Presley in American music. Argov
too was called “the king.” His tragic death in 1987 turned him into a cultural hero of the
Mizrahi underclass. Yet by the 1990s, musika mizrahit was still relatively — though far from
completely — absent from radio and television. Its supporters continued to demand recogni-
tion and legitimacy.
A major turnaround in the status of musika mizrahit occurred in the 1990s, when radio
and television stations began to adapt to increasing pressure from those demanding greater air
time for this musical style. Today the status of the performers is stronger than ever. They are
heard and seen everywhere, much more than their peers of pop/rock music, and are repeat-
edly elected “singers of the year.” This change in status demonstrates the diminished power of
cultural elites (in this case, music editors and producers).
Today, the popular musika mizrahit is widely considered Israel's most successful musi-
cal genre. Among its contemporary stars are Dudu Aharon, who has revitalized the genre by
bringing in new infl uences from other styles of music, and Sarit Hadad, who represented Israel
in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002 and was crowned best Israeli female singer of the 2000s
in October 2009.
Classical Music
The center of classical music is the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1936 by the
violinist Bronislaw Huberman. It played “HaTikva,” Israel's national anthem, during the cer-
emony at the state's founding. In December 1950 the orchestra, with the famous American
conductor Leonard Bernstein, went on its fi rst tour in the United States. In the following years,
the orchestra toured Europe as well, and after the end of the Cold War and the opening of
diplomatic relations with countries around the world, it went on to perform in the countries
of the former Soviet Union, China, and India.
Many talented young musicians were discovered in the fi rst decades of the orchestra's exis-
tence. These include the violinist Yitzhak Perlman and the pianist Daniel Barenboim. In 1968
the world-renowned conductor Zubin Mehta was made musical consultant to the orchestra.
This appointment was considered a tremendous achievement for the Israeli orchestra. In 1981,
Mehta was appointed the orchestra's musical director for life.
Over the years, the Israeli orchestra has gained a worldwide reputation. A radio orchestra,
known today as the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, was also established, and its concerts are
broadcast to tens of thousands of listeners, bringing classical music to the public's awareness
and to the education system. One of the state-run radio stations plays classical music exclu-
sively. Immigration from the former Soviet Union also brought many professional musicians,
including instrumentalists, singers, and music teachers, to Israel and led to the formation of
new symphony and chamber orchestras as well as smaller classical ensembles. The new im-
migrants also brought tremendous additional talent and musical expertise to schools, conser-
vatories, and community centers.
Since the 1990s, awareness of classical music has grown. Leading groups include the Israel
Camerata and the chamber orchestra of the IDF Education Corps. Many cities and towns
