What age did you begin playing a musical instrument?
I started playing the violin when I was 5 years old, with Anna Rosnovsky, who was a member of the IPO and a legendary teacher for kids. When I was 8 I moved to piano and at 12 I finally chose the trumpet. At first I focused on jazz, but towards the end of my high school I slowly started switching towards classical playing when joining the Youth IPO, and after serving at the army band of the IDF I was accepted to the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, where I studied with Yigal Meltzer, who is my colleague and head of my section today.

Name an unforgettable moment with the IPO
In 1996, one year after the murder of Yitzhak Rabin, the IPO performed a requiem in his memory, written by Dov Seltzer. The Dies Irae movement included a shofar part and I was invited to play it. I was 13.5 years old, standing behind the brass and percussion sections, and it was very moving. Another fabulous moment was while being at the Youth IPO, we joined the IPO for an outdoor concert in the park with Zubin Mehta (I think in 2000), performing the piece 1812 in front of tens of thousands of people…

What do you love to do off stage?
I love swing dancing (Lindy Hop, Balboa and Blues) – which includes being exposed to great music from the 20’, 30’ and 40’ of the 20th century, as well as intense exercise – so much fun!

What is the special significance of the IPO to you/Why did you want to be part of the IPO?
The IPO is a home and a family. During my childhood when we spoke about an “orchestra” it was obvious we were talking about the IPO – my father was a member of the orchestra for 37 years as a percussionist, and his last season was my first (2013-14). However especially during this past year, with the spread of Covid-19 and shutdowns of all cultural organizations in Israel and worldwide, the IPO kept being a consistent source of support to its musicians and employees, and provided incredible comfort to the souls of its fans and supporters. I’m moved to be a part of an institution like that.