Welcome to the 28th Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival. It is our great pleasure to bring you a program that we hope will inspire, stimulate, and delight you.

During these challenging times, we are especially grateful to the remarkable musicians who have traveled from near and far to share their passion for chamber music. Many cherished festival artists have returned this year, joined by exceptional newcomers. Their artistry, dedication, and generosity make this festival possible, as they come together to create unforgettable musical experiences.

We truly believe that familiar masterpieces and new discoveries enrich one another, giving the festival its distinctive character and reaffirming the unique power of chamber music. We are delighted that you, our devoted audience members, embrace the program with curiosity and enthusiasm. This year’s program brings together some of the greatest masterpieces of the Classical and Romantic repertoire, exciting twentieth- and twenty-first-century works, and lesser-known gems. During the seven concerts, we will travel through music by Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, Messiaen, Korngold, Schnittke, Ligeti, and Kurtág, discovering unexpected connections and fresh perspectives.

Each year, we strive to create a program that places music within broad historical and cultural contexts. This year’s highlights include Mozart’s magnificent Gran Partita conducted by Daniel Barenboim, piano quintets by Dvořák and Schumann, and Messiaen’s searing Quatuor pour le fin du temps. Alongside these masterpieces, reflecting our enduring commitment to exploration and discovery, we are bringing lesser-known treasures, including Korngold’s Suite for Left-Hand Piano and Strings, Ligeti’s folk-inspired Aranyi Songs, and the Israeli premiere of a piano quartet by acclaimed Estonian composer Jüri Reinvere.

We look forward to sharing this musical journey with you, and hope that over the coming days you will rediscover old favorites, encounter new works to treasure, and once again experience the inspiration, comfort, and joy that music can bring.

Elena Bashkirova
Artistic Director