Musical Dialogues to celebrate British and Israeli music

Organised by the Jewish Music Institute and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, the week-long festival will offer unique combinations of Jewish, Arabian and Western musical approaches through concerts, workshops, masterclasses and seminars.

Twenty-four-year-old Israeli conductor Daniel Cohen, who heads the Eden Sinfonia in London, will conduct performances of Michael Wolpe's Concerto for Oud, Peter Maxwell Davies' An Orkney Wedding and the premiere of If this be a Man, a song cycle for soprano and orchestra by Israeli composer Tzvi Avni, all at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Cohen said that the festival is a great opportunity to introduce the wealth of Israeli and Middle Eastern compositions: 'There is a lot that might capture the British audience about Israeli music, which is incredibly rich and diverse. It is a great honour to play in this wonderful, wonderful hall. I certainly hope that people will enjoy themselves.'

Asked if he was nervous about conducting pieces by the likes of Avni and Davies, Cohen said: 'No, I am not nervous in any way at all. I am honoured and excited about that. I had the privilege to know them personally since I was quite young.'

He added that he is 'geared up' for the festival and called it 'a wonderful thing to be able to turn what is in a composer's head into an audible piece'.

There will also be UK premieres of Oliver Kentish's Prelude and Fugue for 10 Violas and Lior Navok's Saxophone Quartet, with performances by the Brodowski String Quartet and the Sirocco Saxophone Quartet.

For tickets call the box office on 0871 663 2500.

www.southbankcentre.co.uk

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