What age did you begin playing a musical instrument?
I started playing when I was 11.5 when I moved with my family from Tel Aviv to Ramat Gan. My parents looked for something for me to do and signed me up to the city’s conservatory, there I started studying. I wanted to play the saxophone, but I was advised to start on the clarinet, and at the end I stayed with it.
Name an unforgettable moment with the IPO
One of the moments I’ll never forget was my very first concert with the orchestra, in the La Scala Theater in Milano, with Mahler’s 1st symphony and Zubin Mehta. Not only that it was my first time playing this symphony, and first time playing with the IPO, it was my very first time playing the bass clarinet with any orchestra. I don’t think I was ever more nervous than during that concert.
Which kind of music would we find on your playlist?
Nowadays I’m in a period full of hip-hop and pop. In the last two weeks I’m all about Ariana Grande and a singer called Eliza. In general, I don’t listen much to classical music at home, but more to world music, Israeli and pop.
Did you acquire any new skills during the pandemic?
During the pandemic I was looking for ways in which I could spend the lockdowns while keep playing and creating. Given the circumstances, I was able to sophisticate my skills of video editing and recording at home, so I could make videos and recordings with people from here and all over the world. It took time, and it was frustrating at times, but looking back it was such an important lesson for myself, and I’ll be able to use it from now on and in my future.
Denise Esfandi Chair