The Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival returns with a celebration of quintets in September.
Jerusalem will once again become the gathering place for some of the world’s most distinguished musicians when the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival opens its 27th edition from September 9 to 13 at the YMCA Auditorium.
Produced by the Jerusalem Music Centre at Mishkenot Sha’ananim, the festival is among Israel’s most prestigious classical events, renowned for its intimate atmosphere, artistic excellence, and adventurous programming.
After the cancellation of last year’s event at the last minute, due to the Israel-Hamas War, the festival makes a powerful return with seven concerts that bring together leading international artists and Israel’s finest musicians.
Program highlights
The 2025 program, centered on the quintet in all its forms, spans a wide musical landscape, from Mozart and Beethoven to Franck, Shostakovich, and Bartók, offering audiences both beloved masterpieces and works that are rarely heard on stage.
ITAMAR CARMELI (piano) (credit: Liron Buzaglo)
The quintet, with its wealth of instrumental combinations, provides the guiding thread of this year’s repertoire. Mozart’s great String Quintets in G minor and E-flat major, his radiant Clarinet Quintet in A major, and his E-flat major Quintet for Piano and Winds, are at the heart of the program.
These are joined by Brahms, Bruckner, Hindemith, and Shostakovich, each showcasing the expressive power of five instruments woven together in dialogue.
The festival’s artistic director, pianist Elena Bashkirova, once again leads an illustrious roster. Among the returning artists are pianists Plamena Mangova and Julia Adabda; violinists Latica Honda-Rosenberg, Madeleine Carruzzo, and Mark Karlinsky; cellists Ivan Karizna, Astrig Siranossian, and Tim Park; and clarinetist Pablo Barragán.
KAORI YAMAGAMI (cello) (credit: Lutz Sternstein)
Joining them are celebrated newcomers: violinists Nitzan Bartana and Fedor Rudin; violists Noga Shaham, Katrin Spiegel, and Roman Spitzer; cellist Haran Meltzer; and oboist Nick Deutsch. Adding further dimension to the program, baritones Thomas E. Bauer and Thomas Hampson will perform select art songs.
The enduring character of the festival
For Bashkirova, who founded the festival in 1998, the blend of generations and styles is part of its enduring character. “Beloved musicians and fresh talents will come together in a varied and inspiring program that will ensure an unforgettable experience,” she says.
“We are very excited to present a festival that includes the best of chamber music, performed by many of our wonderful musicians, who are happy to return to play in Jerusalem. Wonderful new faces join them, in programs that, as is customary at our festival, combine well-known and beloved masterpieces with fascinating works that are rarely performed.”
The Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival has long been praised for its balance of intimacy and grandeur. Audiences sit close to the performers, sharing in the immediacy of chamber music while witnessing artistry that resonates on the world stage.
This September, the festival promises not only a return to form but also a renewed sense of vitality, reaffirming its place as a cultural landmark in Israel’s musical life.
For more information and tickets, visit www.jcmf.org.il
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