Composer - Player - Audience

The Composer-Player-audience project was initiated by an irritating hitch that says: “you can do better.” It is an old hitch of mine that pushes me forward, each time somewhere new. Before this (but not last) hitch, my answer to “how to do better” was Improving some aspect in my playing, or learning a piece and exploring ways to play it in a “truer” way, or improving my consciousness as a performer. This time, few thoughts melted into a new idea – which initiated a more significant move.

My newly formed idea was that “artistic new-music”, which carries a vast and glorious history, traditions, and much to offers, also has some inherent problems that disrupt and dilute music-making. Of course, I knew I could not fix them all. However still, I spotted an opportunity to create an alternative reality that could offer some remedy to one of the most fundamental problems: composers, players, luthiers, the sound and light technicians, ushers, concierges, and even the audience itself at the concert hall – we all have a highly firm, stressed and measured feel of time-money economics.

What I mean is that things are usually done without a basic feeling of wellness. For instance: the ״experienced״ composer will be anxious to try new/strange/extreme stuff since it is seldom that a player will be willing to join him in his journey to a far-far away, and if yes, then rational questions will arise as: how far is far away, and who long does it takes to get there, am I paid for this trip, and do I even have the time for it? Do I even fancy it? And what is it in it for me? And if I want to quit this journey mid-way, will it be ok? And how this all thing will reflect on me? And so on and on….    …and what about the instruments played, are they optimal? And what about the location? And the audience is he listening, and does he know what to listen to? This kind of thought is endless, and to be frank, a bit childish, somehow resembling a pre-courtship situation in which each side is reluctant to make a move, afraid to be rejected (and faced with reality). But my hope to “do better” was strong, and the vision to this project suddenly became very clear; and I was also fortunate to have a strong pole position, which made me very confident about me being able to carry this weight.

During the last decade, I have worked on a different project with Igal Mirtenbaum, which in his unique way, mentored me and showed me how to do things differently. Thanks, Igal. Also, during the years I am an active musician, I have had the opportunity to meet extraordinary composers and players, which radiated creativity and deep interest and understanding in music, poetry, literature, Philosophy, and the relationship between humans and sound. All these treasures, they willingly share with me, when every time, the dynamics between us was that as much I put in – they offered, and I gladly took, twice as much. From my standing, as a “playing musician,” I was after three independent projects, which I allowed myself as much time as I felt needed to cook them right. Through these processes, I Gaines much knowledge and confidence in my ability to propel substantial “self-growth” and that this approach will allow me to reach an interesting and unique artistic result.

So I believed I could do better, at least for part of the “creative-chain,” and I believed I would find whom to join me; and in July 2017, I drafted the “projects vision” and set ahead to find partners to this mischief.

First to say “I do” were Igal Mirtenbaum, which was a natural continuation of what we have been doing anyway, and Shai Cohen, whom I had numerous small projects, which all were highly positive and creative. Then joined along Gil Dori, which I met through a joint project with the “Tel-Aviv Saxophone Quartet” and made an excellent impression on me as a hard-working person, and Ophir Ilzetzki, which I had a prior and highly positive experience with and said he is willing to cooperate but stated very firmly that he does not have an idea currently in mind and that we should work for it (and so we did). Last to join the fray was Eran Sachs, which was Ophir’s recommendation: “you just see Eran Sachs, he likes to overcomplicate things, just like you, you’ll be a perfect fit”, and we do.

With those five Composers/creators/friends, we took trips during the last three years to new and extraordinary places of sound and mind, the kind of trips that redefine “whats is” and I’m incredibly grateful for their courage, work, and tolerating me.   

Thanks to you, I am immensely privileged. Love you all.

Thanks.