The Maestro and the Cellist — Gil Shohat Meets Christina Kupfer

An exceptional and multidimensional musical evening awaits the audience at an artistic summit meeting, where maestro Gil Shohat hosts international cellist Christina Kupfer. The concert, characterized by sonic richness and a unique instrumental arrangement, places at the center of the stage two grand pianos and the Polyphonia Ensemble, which provide an impressive harmonic framework for the evening's works. Alongside Shohat will perform pianist Michael Zertskel, and together they will present explosive virtuosity and a captivating musical dialogue. The artistic program ranges between refined French classics, Russian drama, and American jazz. At the heart of the evening stands the Cello Concerto by Saint-Saëns, a demanding and moving work that allows Christina Kupfer to demonstrate her virtuosic abilities and the warm, deep tone of the cello. Alongside this, movements from Sergei Rachmaninoff's Suite for Two Pianos will be performed, a work that exploits the full potential of both instruments into a tremendous and emotionally rich sonic mass. The evening will conclude with songs from George Gershwin's masterpiece opera "Porgy and Bess." The arrangements for an ensemble of two pianos, cello, and strings give Gershwin's musical pearls a fresh interpretation, blending classical language with the distinctive flavor of Broadway. This is a concert that promises a gripping experience, where the precise combination of styles and first-rate artists creates a whole greater than the sum of its parts, leaving listeners with a sense of genuine artistic transcendence.

Participants:

• Christina Kupfer — international American cellist
• Michael Zertskel — virtuoso pianist
• Polyphonia Ensemble
• Gil Shohat — arranger, conductor, pianist, music director, and maestro