At what age did you begin playing a musical instrument?
When I was 4.5 years old.

At what age did you understand that you wish to pursue a musical career?
Throughout my childhood I had different interests; anthropology, hair dressing, medicine and fashion design. But when I was 9 I was set on music…

Name an unforgettable moment with the IPO
My first encounter with the IPO was in the USSR in the beginning of the 80’s. I have illegally received a record, as the first sign of life from the family who was successfully able to immigrate to America. The cover of the record had Zubin Mehta with the soloists Perlman and Zukerman, and it was an unforgettable performance of Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante accompanied by the IPO.

What do you love to do off stage?
When I’m off stage I love taking pictures, create albums and design memories, take care of my garden and the plants inside my house, plan spectacular trips abroad, take care of my pets and spend time with my dear family.

Which kind of music would we find on your playlist?
I love listening to Baroque music, French chansons, musicals, any kind of chamber music, and in general anything that is pretty.

Did you acquire any new skills during the pandemic?
All this free time and quiet gave me the opportunity to develop some old loves of mine – gardening, restoration of old furniture, and different kinds of production. Of course all that is on top of developing my playing technique thanks to the extra practice time we now have.

How can we keep classical music and live performances relevant in the digital era?
I’m certain that we can see the blessings of the digital era (and not only the curses). I see these virtual concerts and events which include live dialogues with the audience as the biggest profit of the classical music world from the Covid era. After a few successful experiences with these types of projects, I’m certain that the most important thing is the connection between the musicians and their audience, and this is the greatest blessing we got from this period.