Pianist to play in the key of E ‘for English’

 Anyone can just stay home and watch a wonderful and moving piano performance on Youtube in the comfort of their pajamas. But if you were lucky enough to attend the opening concert of Music and Muse with Orit Wolf in Kfar Shmaryahu at the end of October, then you know what a treat this concert series is for the Anglo audience. For those who weren't at the opening night, lucky for you the series is just beginning.

Having performed in Germany, The United States, Holland, France, England, Belgium and Canada, Orit Wolf's international and cosmopolitan feel, coupled with her Israeli charm, bring the best of cultural entertainment and captivating performances to audiences with Music and Muse. After seven successful and sold out concert series in Hebrew, Wolf felt the time was right for one in English. The series is being sponsored by Dame Shirley Porter and the Porter Foundation, who recognized a growing interest for programs of this type specifically intended for the English-speaking Israeli audience.

Dr. Orit Wolf, Israeli concert pianist and international performer trained at the Royal Academy of Music, is now a lecturer on leadership for stage performers at the famed academy. Being a highly personable performer and engaging to the audience, Wolf's piano performances and explanations guide the audience through the meaning and details behind the music so often missed by the masses.

The series of five performances and conversations are taking place at the beautiful Weil Center in Kfar Shmaryahu near Herzliya, and cover many different musical styles, techniques and concepts. The first concert, "From Broadway to Tel Aviv - The Musicals" explored some of the favorite Broadway show tunes (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, My Fair Lady among others) where Orit was accompanied by Soprano Claire Meghnagi and Tenor Assaf Kacholi.

Other concerts in the series will touch on Chopin, the magic of the mandolin, Bossa Nova, jazz, samba and some of the great encores of the cello, all with special guest artists to enhance the experience.

A performer can often feel a gap between the amount of time and effort that goes into preparing for a performance and the interaction with the audience. "I realized I needed to break the rules and the paradigms", said Orit. "I didn't want to be a silent artist on stage.

We converse with the audience about the music and about the time that the music was composed. We talk about our successes and failures, our challenges with performances and what makes the music sing. We allow ourselves more humor and give the audience an inside look into our music in a way that generally isn't accessible to audiences. You will not leave the concert with a dry eye – that's a promise."