חברים למקצוע כותבים

 

Dear Ziva,

 

    It was a great pleasure  speaking with you the other day and talking about the "good old days". I was happy to go into David's website and hear and see him talking  about his influences in choosing music as a career, as well as watching 7x7 with a performance from Beit Alfa (including your grandson), etc.

 

I am sending you an article outlining the history of the B'nei Hakibbutzim orchestra (symphony, woodwind, and strings). if you scroll down you will see that David is mentioned as being the conductor of the woodwind orchestra in the early 60's and beyond.

I am sending you a small dedication to David and my memory of this wonderful man:

 

Arriving in Israel in 1964 from my birth country Canada,  I began my life here  by residing at Kibbutz Ein Hashofet. This warm-hearted Kibbutz which included  wonderful musicians such as Yizhar Yaron and Yaakov Sagi, became my first home in Israel, and although it has been many years since I have lived there, it always will remain a beautiful memory and the beginning of a close frienship that has lasted until today.

 

          It was during those first years that , after establishing myself as a musician on the Kibbutz and being asked to take over the choir for special occasions such as  Pesach, that I received word from David Ori from Kibbutz Beit Alfa, that he was looking for an assistant with the huge B'nei Hakibbutzim woodwind orchestra of the Kibbutz movement (Kibbutz Haartzi) to help him at the tri-annual assembly of this orchestra, each time in a different Kibbutz for a week at a time, followed by a performance at the week's end. This I realized would be a great opportunity as far as conducting was concerned, but it was also a chance to work with  David Ori, one of the leading musicians of the Kibbutz movement at that time.

 

           I was not disappointed in the least. David was an inspiration and a breath of fresh air. I think the most outstanding characteristic of this charismatic man was a wonderful sense of humor which he shared with all those he came into contact with. The result was that these children were so taken by David's musicianship and humor,  that they played in response with optimism, enthusiasm and love , not only in the concerts but during rehearsals as well. I look upon David as being a mentor of sorts,  allowing me full responsibility and in essence the opportunity to prove myself as an orchestral conductor.  This later led to being invited to take over the string orchestra of the Bnei hakibbutzim orchestra and eventually the symphony orchestra , which I was lucky to have conducted from 1971 until 1991. These years not only broadened my repertoire and conducting expeirence but gave me the proper tools for orchestral composition as well.

 

I also remember fondly the composition by David ,the orchestral parody 7x7,  with it's wonderful humor, which David adapted for symphony orchestra . I  had the opportunity to  perform this charming work with the Symphony Orchestra of the B'nei Ha Kibbutzim Orchestra in David Ori's honor and in his presence. Certainly a memorable moment!

 

           I look back now after being in this country for more than 50 years, and bow my head in deep respect and  gratitude to David Ori for his encouragement and  belief in me and giving me my first chance as a conductor in Israel.

 

           He was my good friend and his memory will always remain with me , and to all those who knew and loved him."

 

Notes by Aharon Harlap