IPO To Welcome Music Director Designate Lahav Shani At May Benefit

The American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (AFIPO) today announced that it will welcome IPO Music Director Designate, Lahav Shani, at its annual Los Angeles Benefit Gala on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at the home of May and Richard Ziman in Brentwood, CA.

The event, which will celebrate the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and benefit its educational programs, will feature a piano recital and intimate dialogue with Shani regarding the future of the IPO. Shani will become the second-ever Music Director of the IPO, beginning in the orchestra's 2020-2021 season. The 30-year-old Israeli conductor and pianist, who first began his relationship with the IPO when he received a scholarship from the orchestra at the age of 14, will succeed Zubin Mehta, the IPO's legendary Music Director who is retiring after 50 awe-inspiring years in the position.

"The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra does more than make world-class music. It is the heartbeat of a community that transcends borders, connecting people around the globe - from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv," said AFIPO Executive Director Danielle Ames Spivak. "Because of AFIPO, Americans can forge a personal bond with Israel, based on creativity and pride, in celebration of music that moves the world. We are honored to have so many remarkable guests joining us for this Gala, including world-renowned architect Frank Gehry and our future Music Director Lahav Shani, to honor the past achievements and future successes of the IPO."

Frank Gehry will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the AFIPO. Considered to be the most important architect of our day, Gehry's best known projects include Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

"I am very honored to be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from this prestigious and important organization," said Frank Gehry. "I have long admired the work of the Israel Philharmonic and the AFIPO, and I am humbled to be recognized by an organization that has also honored some of my great personal heroes - Zubin Mehta and Leonard Bernstein to name just two. I don't play a note, but my great passion is making buildings for music - and in our current climate, it feels right to me that the arts could and should play a bigger role in nurturing a broader perspective between us all. When words fail us, art is the way forward."

The Gala begins at 7pm on May 22 and includes a cocktail reception, piano recital and intimate conversation with Shani about the IPO's future, as well as a gourmet dinner. Sponsorships begin at $30,000 and individual tickets start at $3,000.

For more information, please call 310-277-011 or email events@afipo.org.

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) is the leading orchestra in Israel and globally recognized as a world class symphonic ensemble. Founded in 1936 by famed Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman, the IPO performs regularly in its home, the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv, as well as across Israel, including Jerusalem and Haifa. Additionally, it tours internationally, from Asia to America. Since its inception, the IPO has enjoyed long-lasting relationships with renowned soloists and conductors which have kept it at the forefront of the classical music world. For more information, please visit www.ipo.co.il/en/.

The American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (AFIPO) seeks to strengthen and broaden the reach of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) as the preeminent cultural ambassador for the State of Israel and expand the support of classical music and musical education in Israel. AFIPO is a bi-coastal organization with a national board of directors and offices in New York and Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.afipo.org.

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