The Jerusalem
Symphony Orchestra
THE ETERNAL SOUND OF JERUSALEM
Symphony Orchestra
THE ETERNAL SOUND OF JERUSALEM
Dmitry Yablonsky
Music Director & Chief Conductor
Music Director & Chief Conductor
The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra is supported by the Ministry of Culture
and Sports and the Jerusalem Municipality
and Sports and the Jerusalem Municipality
MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF JERUSALEM
"For nearly nine decades, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra has been a defining force in the cultural life of Jerusalem and Israel as a whole—a role it continues to fulfill today. Through its extensive concert activity, longstanding broadcasting tradition, and wide-ranging educational programs, it has brought the power and beauty of great music to diverse audiences throughout the country, playing a formative role in the musical education, cultural awareness, and artistic sensibilities of generations of Jerusalemites and Israelis. In doing so, the orchestra has become an integral part of Israel’s cultural landscape.
On the international stage, the orchestra has represented Jerusalem before audiences across the globe, bringing them the city’s distinctive spirit and musical voice through music-making of the highest artistic caliber.
Rooted in Jerusalem’s layered history and distinctive character, the orchestra reflects the city’s cultural diversity and creative energy. Its repertoire connects past and present, spanning Baroque and Classical masterpieces, the great Romantic tradition, and contemporary works, while providing an important platform for outstanding performance and new musical voices.
As one of Israel’s leading and most influential cultural institutions, the orchestra has become both a professional home for some of the country’s finest musicians and a magnet for distinguished artists from around the world. Their appearances with the orchestra reflect its outstanding artistic caliber and the important place it occupies within Israel’s musical and cultural landscape.
Through its international activity, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra carries the name and spirit of the city far beyond Israel’s borders. Its invitations to perform at some of the world’s most renowned concert halls attest to its international standing. Through these appearances, the orchestra serves as a respected cultural ambassador for Jerusalem and the State of Israel, fostering connection and understanding through music.
I extend my sincere appreciation to the orchestra and its musicians for their lasting contribution to the cultural life of Jerusalem and Israel, and I wish the orchestra continued success for many years to come. I warmly invite audiences in Jerusalem, throughout Israel, and around the world to experience and enjoy the music of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and take part in its continuing journey."
On the international stage, the orchestra has represented Jerusalem before audiences across the globe, bringing them the city’s distinctive spirit and musical voice through music-making of the highest artistic caliber.
Rooted in Jerusalem’s layered history and distinctive character, the orchestra reflects the city’s cultural diversity and creative energy. Its repertoire connects past and present, spanning Baroque and Classical masterpieces, the great Romantic tradition, and contemporary works, while providing an important platform for outstanding performance and new musical voices.
As one of Israel’s leading and most influential cultural institutions, the orchestra has become both a professional home for some of the country’s finest musicians and a magnet for distinguished artists from around the world. Their appearances with the orchestra reflect its outstanding artistic caliber and the important place it occupies within Israel’s musical and cultural landscape.
Through its international activity, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra carries the name and spirit of the city far beyond Israel’s borders. Its invitations to perform at some of the world’s most renowned concert halls attest to its international standing. Through these appearances, the orchestra serves as a respected cultural ambassador for Jerusalem and the State of Israel, fostering connection and understanding through music.
I extend my sincere appreciation to the orchestra and its musicians for their lasting contribution to the cultural life of Jerusalem and Israel, and I wish the orchestra continued success for many years to come. I warmly invite audiences in Jerusalem, throughout Israel, and around the world to experience and enjoy the music of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and take part in its continuing journey."
Moshe Lion
Mayor of Jerusalem
THE JERUSALEM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
CARRYING THE ETERNAL SOUND OF JERUSALEM
Established in 1938 as part of the Palestine Broadcasting Service, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (JSO) draws its identity from Jerusalem itself—a city sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and a meeting place of peoples, histories, and cultures. For close to ninety years, Jerusalem’s spiritual and cultural heritage has found enduring expression in the orchestra’s distinctive musical voice.
SHAPING GENERATIONS, WELCOMING LEGENDS
The JSO established its national influence early through its weekly radio broadcasts, which for generations brought concerts performed in Israel and abroad into homes across the country and touched the lives of Israelis from all walks of life. The orchestra’s music has become an inseparable part of the soundtrack of the nation and of its listeners’ own lives, affirming the JSO’s defining place in Israel’s cultural identity. The orchestra has also provided a platform of the highest caliber for young musicians, many of whom have gone on to become leading figures in international music. Championing Israeli composers has likewise remained central to the JSO’s artistic mission.
Over the decades, the JSO has welcomed some of the most iconic figures in music history, representing the full breadth of musical creation, interpretation, and performance. Among the legendary musicians who came to the Holy Land to work with the orchestra were Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Otto Klemperer, Arthur Rubinstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Pablo Casals, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Krzysztof Penderecki.
Over the decades, the JSO has welcomed some of the most iconic figures in music history, representing the full breadth of musical creation, interpretation, and performance. Among the legendary musicians who came to the Holy Land to work with the orchestra were Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Otto Klemperer, Arthur Rubinstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Pablo Casals, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Krzysztof Penderecki.
BRINGING JERUSALEM TO THE WORLD’S GREAT STAGES
The JSO continues to tour across Europe, South America, the United States, and Asia. In Argentina, Brazil, and Japan, return visits have fostered enduring relationships with local audiences and presenters. Building on this touring tradition, the orchestra traveled to Austria, Germany, and Liechtenstein in 2026, bringing the sound and spirit of Jerusalem to audiences across Central Europe.
The JSO has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Berlin’s Philharmonie, Munich’s Isarphilharmonie , and Cologne’s Philharmonie.
The JSO has performed at some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls, including Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Berlin’s Philharmonie, Munich’s Isarphilharmonie , and Cologne’s Philharmonie.
LANDMARK PERFORMANCES
Selected highlights from the JSO’s international history include its performance of the oratorio “Elijah” at the closing event of the Bachfest in Leipzig in June 2009. In February 2015, at UNESCO’s invitation, the orchestra performed Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, “Babi Yar,” at a special concert in Paris commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. In 2021, the JSO became the first Israeli orchestra to perform in the United Arab Emirates.
DRIVING THE JSO’S FUTURE
A VISION BUILT ON AN EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY
Drawing on its heritage and its central place in Israel’s cultural life, the JSO is advancing a vision that brings together artistic excellence, music education, international engagement, cultural connection, and the infrastructure needed to serve generations to come.
MUSICAL EXCELLENCE AND ARTISTIC EXPANSION
Music-making at the highest international level stands at the heart of the JSO’s vision. The orchestra will continue to perform the great symphonic repertoire while broadening its artistic horizons through music rooted in the musical traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This vision includes the establishment of recurring festivals dedicated to the musical heritage of the three faiths, enabling the orchestra to reflect through music the cultural richness of Jerusalem and its universal human significance.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY
The JSO considers meaningful and lasting engagement with the communities it serves to be a fundamental responsibility. It seeks to establish a far-reaching music education network across East and West Jerusalem and throughout Israel, with particular emphasis on providing children and young musicians in Israel’s geographic and social periphery with access to music education of the highest standard.
At the heart of this vision is the establishment of a dedicated music school in southern Israel, giving local students access to exceptional musical training and the opportunity to develop their talents, grow as musicians, and fulfill their potential.
The orchestra will also develop educational and performance partnerships with leading orchestral and academic institutions worldwide, creating shared initiatives and enduring international connections. It will seek to deepen and expand its relationships with Jewish communities around the world through joint activities that emphasize shared heritage and common bonds, with music at their core. Through these efforts, the JSO aims to strengthen communities and bring people closer to music, to one another, and to Jerusalem.
At the heart of this vision is the establishment of a dedicated music school in southern Israel, giving local students access to exceptional musical training and the opportunity to develop their talents, grow as musicians, and fulfill their potential.
The orchestra will also develop educational and performance partnerships with leading orchestral and academic institutions worldwide, creating shared initiatives and enduring international connections. It will seek to deepen and expand its relationships with Jewish communities around the world through joint activities that emphasize shared heritage and common bonds, with music at their core. Through these efforts, the JSO aims to strengthen communities and bring people closer to music, to one another, and to Jerusalem.
REGIONAL BRIDGES
Through music, the JSO aims to foster closer ties among people, communities, and cultural institutions across the region, including in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Bahrain. Joint initiatives will create opportunities for artistic dialogue, mutual understanding, and lasting cultural cooperation.
JERUSALEM AND THE WORLD
Future international tours across the United States, Europe, and Asia will extend the JSO’s global reach and create new opportunities for artistic exchange. By developing long-term collaborations with orchestras, presenters, and cultural institutions abroad, the JSO will strengthen Jerusalem’s presence on the international stage and deepen connections across borders.
A NEW HOME AND A GLOBAL DIGITAL STAGE
The JSO envisions a new state-of-the-art concert hall worthy of its heritage, artistic standing, and international reputation. Alongside this physical home, a dedicated digital platform would enable the orchestra to record and broadcast its performances, making its music accessible to audiences around the world at any time.
Drawing on its remarkable heritage, vibrant artistic present, and clear vision for the future, the JSO will deepen its impact and reach ever wider audiences around the world, giving new resonance to the ETERNAL SOUND OF JERUSALEM.
DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS WITH THE JSO
Throughout its history, the JSO has collaborated with some of the world’s most celebrated conductors, soloists, singers, and composers:
Martha Argerich
Leonard Bernstein
Kolja Blacher
Pierre Boulez
Yefim Bronfman
Khatia Buniatishvili
Renaud Capuçon
José Carreras
Pablo Casals
Giora Feidman
Otto Klemperer
Denis Kozhukhin
Leonard Bernstein
Kolja Blacher
Pierre Boulez
Yefim Bronfman
Khatia Buniatishvili
Renaud Capuçon
José Carreras
Pablo Casals
Giora Feidman
Otto Klemperer
Denis Kozhukhin
*Names listed in alphabetical order.
Christa Ludwig
Radu Lupu
Yo-Yo Ma
Lorin Maazel
Mischa Maisky
Alexander Malofeev
Neville Marriner
Yehudi Menuhin
Olli Mustonen
Anna Netrebko
Krzysztof Penderecki
Ivo Pogorelich
Radu Lupu
Yo-Yo Ma
Lorin Maazel
Mischa Maisky
Alexander Malofeev
Neville Marriner
Yehudi Menuhin
Olli Mustonen
Anna Netrebko
Krzysztof Penderecki
Ivo Pogorelich
Menachem Pressler
Jean-Pierre Rampal
Mstislav Rostropovich
Arthur Rubinstein
Leonard Slatkin
Isaac Stern
Igor Stravinsky
Henryk Szeryng
Maxim Vengerov
Omer Meir Wellber
Oxana Yablonskaya
Tabea Zimmermann
Jean-Pierre Rampal
Mstislav Rostropovich
Arthur Rubinstein
Leonard Slatkin
Isaac Stern
Igor Stravinsky
Henryk Szeryng
Maxim Vengerov
Omer Meir Wellber
Oxana Yablonskaya
Tabea Zimmermann
Martha Argerich
Leonard Bernstein
Kolja Blacher
Pierre Boulez
Yefim Bronfman
Khatia Buniatishvili
Renaud Capuçon
José Carreras
Pablo Casals
Giora Feidman
Otto Klemperer
Denis Kozhukhin
Christa Ludwig
Radu Lupu
Yo-Yo Ma
Lorin Maazel
Mischa Maisky
Alexander Malofeev
Leonard Bernstein
Kolja Blacher
Pierre Boulez
Yefim Bronfman
Khatia Buniatishvili
Renaud Capuçon
José Carreras
Pablo Casals
Giora Feidman
Otto Klemperer
Denis Kozhukhin
Christa Ludwig
Radu Lupu
Yo-Yo Ma
Lorin Maazel
Mischa Maisky
Alexander Malofeev
*Names listed in alphabetical order.
Neville Marriner
Yehudi Menuhin
Olli Mustonen
Anna Netrebko
Krzysztof Penderecki
Ivo Pogorelich
Menachem Pressler
Jean-Pierre Rampal
Mstislav Rostropovich
Arthur Rubinstein
Leonard Slatkin
Isaac Stern
Igor Stravinsky
Henryk Szeryng
Maxim Vengerov
Omer Meir Wellber
Oxana Yablonskaya
Tabea Zimmermann
Yehudi Menuhin
Olli Mustonen
Anna Netrebko
Krzysztof Penderecki
Ivo Pogorelich
Menachem Pressler
Jean-Pierre Rampal
Mstislav Rostropovich
Arthur Rubinstein
Leonard Slatkin
Isaac Stern
Igor Stravinsky
Henryk Szeryng
Maxim Vengerov
Omer Meir Wellber
Oxana Yablonskaya
Tabea Zimmermann
An exceptionally versatile musician, Dmitry Yablonsky has earned international acclaim as a conductor, cellist, and pedagogue.
Throughout his career, Yablonsky has conducted leading orchestras around the world, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and Seoul’s KBS Symphony Orchestra.
His artistic collaborations have brought him together with internationally renowned artists such as Olga Borodina, Montserrat Caballé, Sergio Rubini, Roberto Alagna, and Krzysztof Penderecki.
Yablonsky’s artistry has taken him to prestigious venues, among them New York’s Carnegie Hall, Milan’s La Scala, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, and Zurich’s Tonhalle.
His discography includes more than 100 albums released by major international labels, including Naxos, Chandos, Erato, and Warner. Among these are five recordings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His recordings have received numerous honors, including a Grammy Award nomination.
In 2008, he was elected an academician and full member of the Department of Artistic Creation at the Independent Academy of Aesthetics and Liberal Arts in Moscow.
Beyond his work as a conductor and performer, Yablonsky has led international music festivals, among them Notti Musicali in Modena, Wandering Stars in Catalonia and Israel, the Gabala Music Festival in Azerbaijan, and the Puigcerdà Music Festival in the Spanish Pyrenees.
Reflecting his commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians, he teaches at the Buchmann– Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University and the Giovan Battista Martini Conservatory of Music in Bologna.
Yablonsky has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, conducting the orchestra in Israel and on international tours, including in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan. This artistic partnership entered a defining new chapter in August 2026, when he was appointed Music Director and Chief Conductor of the orchestra.
Throughout his career, Yablonsky has conducted leading orchestras around the world, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and Seoul’s KBS Symphony Orchestra.
His artistic collaborations have brought him together with internationally renowned artists such as Olga Borodina, Montserrat Caballé, Sergio Rubini, Roberto Alagna, and Krzysztof Penderecki.
Yablonsky’s artistry has taken him to prestigious venues, among them New York’s Carnegie Hall, Milan’s La Scala, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, and Zurich’s Tonhalle.
His discography includes more than 100 albums released by major international labels, including Naxos, Chandos, Erato, and Warner. Among these are five recordings with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His recordings have received numerous honors, including a Grammy Award nomination.
In 2008, he was elected an academician and full member of the Department of Artistic Creation at the Independent Academy of Aesthetics and Liberal Arts in Moscow.
Beyond his work as a conductor and performer, Yablonsky has led international music festivals, among them Notti Musicali in Modena, Wandering Stars in Catalonia and Israel, the Gabala Music Festival in Azerbaijan, and the Puigcerdà Music Festival in the Spanish Pyrenees.
Reflecting his commitment to nurturing the next generation of musicians, he teaches at the Buchmann– Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University and the Giovan Battista Martini Conservatory of Music in Bologna.
Yablonsky has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, conducting the orchestra in Israel and on international tours, including in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan. This artistic partnership entered a defining new chapter in August 2026, when he was appointed Music Director and Chief Conductor of the orchestra.
Zelig Rabinovitz
Chairman
Zelig Rabinovitz has served as Chairman of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra since 2023. A prominent cultural executive, journalist, and business leader, he brings to the orchestra four decades of experience in journalism and public broadcasting, institutional leadership, and the advancement of Israeli and Jewish culture.
During nearly three decades at the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), Rabinovitz rose through the organization’s professional and executive ranks, holding several of its most senior leadership positions. He headed Channel One of Israeli Television, served as Assistant Director General, led the implementation of the IBA’s comprehensive organizational reform, and oversaw the establishment of its International News Channel.
Rabinovitz was also elected chair of Israel’s independent television audience measurement committee, composed of representatives of all the country’s broadcasting organizations.
Since leaving the IBA in 2015, Rabinovitz has held senior leadership positions at the Yiddishpiel Theater, initially as Deputy CEO and subsequently as CEO. He currently serves as CEO of both the Yiddishpiel Theater and the Israeli Jewish Theater. Since 2016, he has also been a member of the Theater and Fringe Department of the Israel Council for Culture and the Arts at the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
Rabinovitz also remains active as a journalist and broadcaster. He currently presents the weekly current-affairs program “Makshivim Lakhem with Zelig Rabinovitz” (“Listening to You with Zelig Rabinovitz”) on Radius 100FM. In 2013, he received a certificate of appreciation from the “Public Has a Right to Know” Association in recognition of his contribution to promoting Zionist, Jewish, and high-quality content in Israeli public broadcasting.
Alongside his extensive work in culture and media, Rabinovitz is the owner of Rabinovitz Holdings Group, an investment company active in real estate, international trade, and the development and support of projects across several European countries.
Rabinovitz holds an EBA degree in education and has completed certification programs for corporate directors at both the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University’s Coller School of Management.
Rabinovitz was also elected chair of Israel’s independent television audience measurement committee, composed of representatives of all the country’s broadcasting organizations.
Since leaving the IBA in 2015, Rabinovitz has held senior leadership positions at the Yiddishpiel Theater, initially as Deputy CEO and subsequently as CEO. He currently serves as CEO of both the Yiddishpiel Theater and the Israeli Jewish Theater. Since 2016, he has also been a member of the Theater and Fringe Department of the Israel Council for Culture and the Arts at the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
Rabinovitz also remains active as a journalist and broadcaster. He currently presents the weekly current-affairs program “Makshivim Lakhem with Zelig Rabinovitz” (“Listening to You with Zelig Rabinovitz”) on Radius 100FM. In 2013, he received a certificate of appreciation from the “Public Has a Right to Know” Association in recognition of his contribution to promoting Zionist, Jewish, and high-quality content in Israeli public broadcasting.
Alongside his extensive work in culture and media, Rabinovitz is the owner of Rabinovitz Holdings Group, an investment company active in real estate, international trade, and the development and support of projects across several European countries.
Rabinovitz holds an EBA degree in education and has completed certification programs for corporate directors at both the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University’s Coller School of Management.
Ofer Amsalem
CEO
Ofer Amsalem has served as CEO of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra since 2020. An experienced executive in the fields of culture, technology, and organizational development, he brings to the orchestra a distinctive combination of technological expertise, entrepreneurial leadership, and extensive experience managing major musical institutions.
Amsalem began his professional career in Israel’s high-tech sector at the Eurocom Group,
initially as a programmer and subsequently as a team leader and department head. At the age of 26, he was appointed Chief Technology Officer of Internet Zahav, then one of Israel’s largest internet service providers and a publicly traded company on NASDAQ.
In 2007, Amsalem entered the cultural sector as CEO of the Israeli Andalusian Orchestra. Two years later, an organizational crisis triggered by external forces led to the dismissal of the orchestra’s musicians. In response, Amsalem took the initiative to establish the Jerusalem Orchestra East & West, bringing together a group of the dismissed musicians and creating a new professional and artistic future for them. As the new orchestra’s founding CEO, he built the organization—which began without an operating budget—into a recognized musical institution with an annual budget of NIS 11 million. He led the orchestra until the end of 2019.
In 2020, Amsalem joined the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra as CEO, bringing with him extensive experience in institutional development, financial and organizational management, technological innovation, and the leadership of orchestras dedicated to bridging musical traditions and communities.
Alongside his executive career, Amsalem is a faculty member at Ashkelon Academic College, where he teaches computer science, statistics, and e-commerce.
Amsalem holds a BA from the College of Management Academic Studies and an Executive MBA from Bar-Ilan University.
initially as a programmer and subsequently as a team leader and department head. At the age of 26, he was appointed Chief Technology Officer of Internet Zahav, then one of Israel’s largest internet service providers and a publicly traded company on NASDAQ.
In 2007, Amsalem entered the cultural sector as CEO of the Israeli Andalusian Orchestra. Two years later, an organizational crisis triggered by external forces led to the dismissal of the orchestra’s musicians. In response, Amsalem took the initiative to establish the Jerusalem Orchestra East & West, bringing together a group of the dismissed musicians and creating a new professional and artistic future for them. As the new orchestra’s founding CEO, he built the organization—which began without an operating budget—into a recognized musical institution with an annual budget of NIS 11 million. He led the orchestra until the end of 2019.
In 2020, Amsalem joined the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra as CEO, bringing with him extensive experience in institutional development, financial and organizational management, technological innovation, and the leadership of orchestras dedicated to bridging musical traditions and communities.
Alongside his executive career, Amsalem is a faculty member at Ashkelon Academic College, where he teaches computer science, statistics, and e-commerce.
Amsalem holds a BA from the College of Management Academic Studies and an Executive MBA from Bar-Ilan University.
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