The Israeli-Palestinian Duo Amal, a unique pledge of friendship between the two peoples, was born in the turbulent Middle East. "Amal" - the duo's name - means hope in Arabic and reflects their belief that music can overcome different backgrounds and cultural boundaries.
"Kohlberg & Haroni are two fantastic pianists. This duo is not only a sign of friendship between their peoples, but also a musical collaboration to enjoy," said world-renowned conductor Zubin Mehta about the duo.
On December 12, Yaron Kohlberg and Bishara Haroni will present a fascinating programme, colourful, lively and captivating from the first note to the last. From Schubert's intimate Fantasy in F minor to Rachmaninoff's fairytale-like and virtuosic First Suite for two pianos. To endorse their musical friendship, the programme also includes their own arrangements of Israeli and Palestinian folk songs.
The internationally renowned Duo Amal have been heard worldwide, from Carnegie Hall to Beijing Concert Hall, performing both as a duo and as soloists. On December 12, Duo Amal will make their debut in the Netherlands.
Concertgebouw, with its exceptional acoustics and high-quality programming, is one of the most exclusive concert halls in the world. Concertgebouw opened on April 11, 1888, is a building with several concert halls, located on the Van Baerlestraat opposite Museumplein in Amsterdam.
It was Bernard Haitink who once praised The Concertgebouw as “the best instrument of the orchestra that it houses”. At the time that Concertgebouw was taking shape, the science of acoustics was still considered a mysterious combination of many different and undefinable factors. Professional recording equipment was still to be developed in the 20th century, so the architects at that time had only successful examples to look to.
As a result, the Recital Hall became nearly identical to the renowned oval hall in the Felix Meritis House, and the Main Hall (in terms of design and materials used) to the Neue Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Germany. In later restorations, the original design and finishing details of the halls were left intact as much as possible to preserve the sensitive world-famous acoustics.
Piano Duo Festival Amsterdam is an annual festival that focuses on piano concerts played by "four hands." Every year the festival invites national and international top duos to perform the most exciting concerts, from classical to jazz, from young talents to international top stars, and from baby concerts to workshops and recitals. The main location of the festival is the beautiful Duif in the city centre of Amsterdam.
About the musicians
The Israeli-Palestinian Duo Amal, "hope" in Arabic, was aptly described by the Sydney Morning Herald as: "[they] bear testament to the capacity of music to transcend conflicts that have proved intractable." Yaron Kohlberg and Bishara Haroni have performed worldwide with particular success: from Beijing to São Paulo, New York and Tokyo and even at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.
Following their first joint performance at a peace concert in the Oslo Opera House in 2008, they have played numerous concerts in such renowned concert halls as the Metropolitan Museum in New York, Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Beijing Concert Hall, Asahi Hall in Tokyo, Melbourne Recital Center, Sala São Paulo in Brazil, Gran Teatro Nacional in Bogota and many others.
They are invited to the Vatican for a concert for the Pope, which will take place in 2022. The duo combines two-piano solo performances with orchestra and recitals in traditional concert halls with educational outreach and workshops in order to promote their vision.
Get your tickets
Get your tickets online for the duo concert in Amsterdam and check out the Concertgebouw website for more information about the concert programme and the performers!