JR Performs Mendelssohn's Concert for Mandolin, Piano and Orchestra d-Moll

Mandolin took center stage at the Gewandhaus last week accompanied by pianist Daniel Ciobanu and the Gewandhaus Orchestra, playing under the baton of Omer Meir Wellber. The mandolin version of Mendelssohn concerto was performed for the first time at the Gewandhaus, which challenged the traditional performance of the piece and gave it a refreshing sound that surprised and enticed the listener.

You can listen to the live concert recording here.

“My musical journey with Mendelssohn has started already in my Academy days. I performed the Mendelssohn violin concerto on a mandolin in the entry exam for the Jerusalem Academy when I was only seventeen. Ever since that time, I remember the depth I found in this music, and I continued this tradition when I came back to the Jerusalem Academy as a teacher. Students are performing Mendelssohn’s violin sonatas, and we have performed and recorded one of his string symphonies with the Israeli Mandolin Soloists. This entire process has reached its creative peak when we celebrated the performance of his violin and piano concerto in Leipzig with the Gewandhaus Orchestra, which was originally established by Mendelssohn and was a partner to many of his projects. The experience was thrilling. Sometimes the music comes back to you as the integrated whole of everything you learned and promoted throughout your life. This is how it felt when I stepped on the stage in Leipzig with the Mendelssohn concerto. “- JR