MultiPiano
MultiPiano is a classical keyboard ensemble, founded in Tel Aviv in 2011. The ensemble is dedicated to the performance and distribution of the rich original repertoire composed for multi-hand piano formations from Bach to contemporary music. Since its foundation the ensemble was presented in four continents and was widely acknowledged for its unique contribution to this relatively unknown branch of keyboard repertoire. MultiPiano is a resident ensemble at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, a collaborative institution of Tel Aviv University and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Its founder and artistic director is pianist Tomer Lev. In 2015 the ensemble was awarded the Israeli Ministry of Culture prize for the “best Israeli chamber ensemble“.
Objectives and repertoire
[edit source] The MultiPiano project was launched in the 2010-11 season. Its main objective was to feature some of Israel's most radiant young pianists and enable them wide international exposure and professional experience through collaborative playing on one, two, three and four pianos, from 4 to 8 hands. Based on the rich repertoire originally written for these keyboard combinations, the ensemble presented rare, forgotten and even unknown compositions by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Smetana, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Schnittke, Czerny, Moscheles, among many others. Arrangements of works from Bach to Frank Martin, as well as commissioned works by contemporary composers, completed the the ensemble`s repertoire, creating a rich kaleidoscope of eras, formations and genres in their programs.
Tours and concert activity
Since their first international tour in 2011, the ensemble was often heard in North America, South America, Europe, the Far East and Israel. It was presented in such venues as the Beijing Concert Hall, Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colon and Gran Rex, New-York’s Merkin Hall as well as in central venues in London, Frankfurt, Montreal, Chicago, Riga and Tallinn; collaborating with world-class organizations such as the Royal Philharmoic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Buenos Aires Mozarteum Argentino and Conciertos Grapa, the music festivals of Taipei, Xiamen, Ottawa, Baltic Sea, Huallien, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem; the Philharmonic Society of Lima, "Universal" Edition in Vienna, as well as television and radio networks from Asia to South America. The New York Times described their first performance in New York City as “a celebration of Multi-hands and Multi-keyboards”.
In Israel the ensemble has performed with most of the country's leading orchestras, such as the Israel Philharmonic, the Israel Camerata Jerusalem, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, " Tel Aviv Soloists", Haifa Symphony and Netanya-Kibbutz Orchestra, with which it toured South America, performing in Buemnos Aires, Montevideo, Lima, Bogota, Rosario and Cordoba.
Special Projects
In September 2014 MultiPiano Ensemble collaborated with the English Chamber Orchestra in London, recording W.A. Mozart's Concertos for two and three keyboards, as well as in a world premiere recording of Mozart’s “ Larghetto and Allegro” – a 1781 fragment left unfinished, completed and orchestrated by Tomer Lev for two pianos and orchestra.
In November 2015 the ensemble presented a world premiere of Frank Martin's Symphonie Concertante for 3 Pianos & Double String Orchestra with the Israel Camerata Jerusalem. This special version of Martin's 1944 work, originally scored for the acoustically problematic setting of piano, harpsichord, harp and strings, was prepared by Tomer Lev in cooperation with Universal Music Edition in Vienna, in order to make this unusual work accessible on contemporary concert stage.
A first performance on a professional concert stage of Mendelssohn's newly discovered Fantaisie & Variations Brillantes for two pianos and orchestra (composed in 1833 in collaboration with Mendelssohn's teacher, Ignaz Moscheles) was held with the Haifa Symphony in April 2016.
A world premiere of Bach- Vivaldi concerto for 4 keyboards and orchestra, in a special version for two pianos in 8 hands and orchestra, took place in Tel Aviv with Netanya-Kibbuz Orchestra in summer of 2016. This version was prepared in order to enable performances of this popular composition also in halls where four grand pianos are not available.
In April 2017 the ensemble recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London a world premiere of Martin's Symphonie Concertante, Shostakovich Concertino for two pianos and orchestra, and Aryeh Levanon "Land of Four Languages" [see: commissions below]
Commissions
The ensemble commissioned several works by contemporary composers, including:
"Land of Four Languages" by Israeli composer Aryeh Levanon, based on popular Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew and Arabic folk tunes (2012 – version for two pianos in 8 hands; 2013 – version for two pianos in 8 hands with string orchestra).
"Ashrey Ha-Zor'im" by Israeli composer Oded Zehavi, for two pianos in 8 hands, mixed choir and string orchestra (2013).
Other commissions include special versions for piano and percussion mixed ensemble of such compositions as " St. John's Night on a Bald Mountain" by Mussorgsky (originally composed in 1867), Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos in D minor and Bizet- Schedrin " Carmen Suite". These versions were commissioned for the 2015 Felicja Blumental International Music Festival at Tel Aviv Museum.
Ensemble members
The founding nucleus of the ensemble included pianists Tomer Lev, Berenika Glixman and Daniel Borovitzky. Later additions included pianists Yuval Gilad, Raviv Leibzirer and several guest pianists. Today the permanent group includes Tomer Lev, Berenika Glixman, Nimrod Meiry-Haftel and Almog Segal.