View source for Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

{{Short description|Symphony orchestra based in Tel Aviv}}
{{Infobox orchestra
| name                = Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
| native_name         = התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית
| native_name_lang    = he
| short_name          = IPO
| image               = 1985-9-3 Leonard BernsteinImg、Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Osaka Festival Hall, Mahler Symphony No. 9 in D major 851☆彡.jpg
| caption             = Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by [[Leonard Bernstein]], Osaka Festival Hall (1985)
| founded             = {{Start date|1936|12|26}}<br/>{{flag|Mandatory Palestine}}
| location            = {{flag|Israel}} 
| concert_hall        = Heichal HaTarbut
| principal_conductor = 
| music_director      = [[Lahav Shani]]
| website             = {{Official website|ipo.co.il}}
}}

[[Image:Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by [[Zubin Mehta]], 70th anniversary celebrations]]
[[Image:Charles Bronfman Auditorium 2013 05 01.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Charles Bronfman Auditorium]] (Heichal Hatarbut), home of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv]]
[[Image:Zubin Mehta at NCPA.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Zubin Mehta conducting<br/>the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra<br/>at the [[Jamshed Bhabha Theater (NCPA)]] in [[Mumbai]]]]
[[Image:Bronislaw Huberman.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Bronisław Huberman]], a [[Poland|Polish]]-Jewish violinist who founded the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra]]

The '''Israel Philharmonic Orchestra''' (abbreviation '''IPO'''; [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ''ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit ha-Yisra'elit'') is a major Israeli [[symphony orchestra]] based in [[Tel Aviv]]. Its principal concert venue is [[Heichal HaTarbut]].

==History==
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was founded as the Palestine Symphony Orchestra <ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/arts/music/israel-philharmonic-orchestra-carnegie-hall.html  An orchestra strives to stay in its own lane]</ref>by violinist [[Bronisław Huberman]] in 1936, at a time of the dismissal of many [[Jew]]ish musicians from European orchestras.<ref>{{cite web | author=Kathy DeGagne | title=Outplaying Hitler: The Creation of the Palestine Symphony Orchestra | url=https://www.bridgesforpeace.com/article/outplaying-hitlerthe-creation-palestine-symphony-orchestra/ | newspaper=Bridges for Peace | date=2017-09-04 | access-date=2025-03-25}}</ref>  Its inaugural concert took place in [[Tel Aviv]] on December 26, 1936, conducted by [[Arturo Toscanini]]. Its first principal conductor was [[William Steinberg]].

Its general manager between 1938 and 1945 was [[Leo Kestenberg]], who, like many of the orchestra members, was a German Jew forced out by the rise of Nazism and the persecution of Jews. During the Second World War, the orchestra performed 140 times before Allied soldiers, including a 1942 performance for soldiers of the [[Jewish Brigade]] at [[El Alamein]]. At the end of the war, it performed in recently liberated Belgium. In 1948, after the creation of the State of Israel, the orchestra was renamed as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1955, the Orchestra played for [[Pope Pius XII]] at the Vatican, in appreciation for the assistance the Pope had given to Jewish victims of Nazism during [[World War Two]].<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/263067968?searchTerm=jewish%20Pius%20Xii ''The Australian Jewish Times'']; 17 Oct, 1958</ref>

Particular conductors notable in the history of the orchestra have included [[Leonard Bernstein]] and [[Zubin Mehta]]. Bernstein maintained close ties with the orchestra from 1947, and in 1988, the IPO bestowed on him the title of Laureate Conductor, which he retained until his death in 1990. Mehta became the IPO's Music Advisor in 1969. The IPO did not have a formal music director, but instead "music advisors", until 1977, when Mehta was appointed the IPO's first Music Director. In 1981, his title was elevated to Music Director for Life.<ref>{{cite news|last=Davidson|first=Justin|author-link=Justin Davidson|title=His Life's Work: Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic|newspaper=Newsday|date=2007-01-28|url= http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29400728_ITM|access-date=2009-08-30}}</ref> In December 2016, the Israel Philharmonic announced that Mehta was to conclude his tenure as music director as of October 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title= Zubin Mehta announces retirement from Israel Philharmonic |url= https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Zubin-Mehta-announces-retirement-from-Israel-Philharmonic-476574 |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] |date= 2016-12-26 |access-date= 2017-11-07}}</ref> Principal guest conductors of the orchestra have included [[Yoel Levi]] and [[Gianandrea Noseda]].

With Mehta, the IPO made a number of recordings for [[Decca Records|Decca]].  With Bernstein, the IPO recorded his own compositions and works of [[Igor Stravinsky]], for Deutsche Grammophon. The IPO also collaborated with Japanese composer [[Yoko Kanno]] in the soundtrack of the [[anime]] ''[[Macross Plus]]''.

The initial concerts of the Palestine Orchestra in December 1936, conducted by [[Arturo Toscanini|Toscanini]], featured the music of [[Richard Wagner]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Hilferty|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Hilferty|title=Facing the Wagner Question|newspaper=New York Sun|date=2007-01-29|url=http://www.nysun.com/article/47556|access-date=2009-08-30}}</ref> However, after the ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' pogroms in November 1938, the orchestra has maintained a ''de facto'' ban on [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]]'s work, due to that composer's [[antisemitism]] and the association of his music with [[Nazi Germany]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Walsh|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Walsh (author)|title=The Case of Wagner – Again|newspaper=Time|date=1992-01-13|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974661,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050118235207/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974661,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2005|access-date=2009-08-30}}</ref>

The Secretary-General of the orchestra is Avi Shoshani. The IPO has a subscriber base numbering 26,000.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lasserson|first=David|title=And the Orchestra Played On|newspaper=Telegraph|date=2006-12-21|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/12/21/bmisrael121.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221062739/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/12/21/bmisrael121.xml|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-02-21|access-date=2009-08-30}}</ref> Commentators have noted the musically conservative tastes of the subscriber base,<ref>{{cite news|last=Erlanger|first=Steven|author-link=Steven Erlanger|title=A Country’s Cultural Centerpiece Comes Calling|newspaper=New York Times|date=2007-01-30|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/30/arts/music/30maaz.html?fta=y&pagewanted=all|access-date=2009-08-30}}</ref> although the IPO is dedicated to performing new works by Israeli composers, such as [[Avner Dorman]].

Among the orchestra's education initiatives are the [[Buchmann-Mehta School of Music]], a partnership between the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and [[Tel Aviv University]]. Created by Zubin Mehta and philanthropist Josef Buchmann to educate orchestral musicians to supply the artistic future of the IPO and other orchestras,<ref>{{cite news |date=15 April 2005 |title=First chair: After years of hardship, the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University is finally playing a new tune |work=The Jerusalem Post }}</ref> the school is located on the university's campus in Tel Aviv and works very closely with the IPO, including orchestral training programs, master classes with IPO guest artists and special concerts at the IPO's halls. Several members of the IPO are BMSM alumni, while various IPO musicians serve as BMSM faculty members.

In 2007, [[Lahav Shani]] first appeared with the IPO as guest soloist.  Starting in October 2013, he appeared as guest conductor with the orchestra each year.  In January 2018, the IPO announced the appointment of Shani as its next music director, effective with the 2020-2021 season.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.intermusica.com/news/3138 | title=Lahav Shani appointed Music Director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra | publisher=Intermusica | date=17 January 2018 | access-date=2025-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author=Michael Cooper | title=After 50 Years, Israel Philharmonic Names a New Conductor | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/17/arts/music/israel-philharmonic-zubin-mehta.html | work=New York Times | date=2018-01-17 | access-date=2018-01-17}}</ref>  In January 2025, the IPO announced the extension of Shani's contract as music director to 2032.<ref>{{cite news | author= | title=Lahav Shani tot 2032 bij het Israëlisch Filharmonisch Orkest | url=https://www.npoklassiek.nl/klassiek/podium/17721ff0-85d5-4c19-96c1-f4a319ed5fe3/lahav-shani-tot-2032-bij-het-israelisch-filharmonisch-orkest | work=NPO Klassiek | date=2025-01-20 | access-date=2025-01-22}}</ref>

==Awards and recognition==
In 1958, the IPO was awarded the [[Israel Prize]], in music, the first time that an organisation received the Prize.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cms.education.gov.il/EducationCMS/Units/PrasIsrael/Tashyag/Tashkab_Tashyag_Rikuz.htm?DictionaryKey=Tashyah |title=Israel Prize recipients in 1958 (in Hebrew) |publisher=Israel Prize Official Site |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208115723/http://cms.education.gov.il/EducationCMS/Units/PrasIsrael/Tashyag/Tashkab_Tashyag_Rikuz.htm?DictionaryKey=Tashyah |archive-date=February 8, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Music advisors==
* [[William Steinberg]] (1936–1938)
* [[Leonard Bernstein]] (1947–1949; Laureate Conductor, 1988–1990)
* [[Paul Paray]] (1949–1951)
* [[Bernardino Molinari]]
* [[Jean Martinon]] (1957–1959)
* [[Zubin Mehta]] (1969–1977)

==Music directors==
* Zubin Mehta (1977–2019)
* [[Lahav Shani]] (2020–present)

== Political controversies ==
The orchestra's performance in [[London]] at [[The Proms]] on September 1, 2011 was disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.  The radio broadcast was interrupted, but the concert was broadcast again a few days later.<ref>{{cite news|title=Anti-Israel protesters disrupt BBC Proms|author=Marcus Dysch|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/54010/anti-israel-protesters-disrupt-bbc-proms|newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle|location=United Kingdom|date=2011-09-02|access-date=2012-01-01}}</ref> The orchestra's secretary-general Avi Shoshani declared to London's ''[[The Times]]'' newspaper that the orchestra was unlikely to ever perform in the UK again.<ref>{{cite news|author=Neil Fisher|title=We represent the country the minute we go on stage|newspaper=The Times|date=2012-01-03|location=United Kingdom}}</ref> Nobody was prosecuted for the disruptions, partly because the management of the [[Royal Albert Hall]], where the concert took place, declined to cooperate with a group of Israel-supporting lawyers.<ref>{{cite news|title=No prosecution in Israel Proms disruption|author=Simon Rocker|url=http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/63977/no-prosecution-israel-proms-disruption|newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle|location=United Kingdom|date=2012-02-23|access-date=2012-03-03}}</ref>

On November 6, 2025, four people were detained for disrupting a concert by the orchestra at the [[Philharmonie de Paris]] as part of protest actions against the [[Gaza war]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 November 2025 |title=Protesters disrupt an Israeli Philharmonic concert in Paris. 4 people are detained trounced|url=https://apnews.com/article/israeli-philharmonic-protest-paris-e75480309b8cb3bf32db2ac26e9c1e57 |access-date=9 November 2025 |website=AP News |language=en|first=Jeffrey |last=Schaeffer }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Buchmann-Mehta School of Music]]
*[[Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra]]
*[[Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra]]
*[[Culture of Israel]]
*[[Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Foundation]]
*[[List of Israel Prize recipients]]
*[[Music of Israel]]
*[[Hellmut Stern]]
*[[Marc Lavry]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{Wikinews|Proms performance by Israel Philharmonic Orchestra disrupted}}
* {{Official website|https://www.ipo.co.il/en/}}
* [[hdl:10079/fa/music.mss.154|MSS 154, Fredric R. Mann Papers]] in the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library of Yale University.

{{Commons category}}
{{Tourism in Tel Aviv}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Israel Philharmonic Orchestra| ]]
[[Category:Israeli orchestras]]
[[Category:Israel Prize in music recipients]]
[[Category:Israel Prize recipients that are organizations]]
[[Category:Deutsche Grammophon artists]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1936]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Tel Aviv]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Tel Aviv]]