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The sounds
of the harp reverberate through the small concert hall as Adina Haroz
fills the space with music.
As Haroz plays, her fingers climb the strings like a spider spinning
a web. Much like the spider, she dances across the instrument knowing
where, when and how to pluck or stroke any string to make beautiful music.
Haroz, a 7th generation Israeli, was born and has lived most of her life
in Jerusalem. She is part of a musical and creative family, her brother
is a professional cellist, her son Nitzan Haroz, is the principal trombonist
with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and her daughter, Motke Haroz, is an illustrator.
In 1997 Adina Haroz founded Inbalim, a center for harp
and small chamber ensembles concerts, located in Zichron Yaakov. Bringing
harp “to the people” Haroz performs weekly concerts every Friday at noon,
as well as private concerts for groups and family celebrations. In the
group concerts, she explains the sounds and history of her harps and gives
her audience a synopsis of the music they are going to hear. Her repertoire
includes classical as well as folk music and her listeners often sing along
to the Irish and Israeli folk music. The effects of her creative hand
are seen throughout the concert hall, with a variety of string instruments
placed on the stage in addition to the three harps, professional, troubadour,
and a small folk harp, that Haroz uses during the concert.
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As a child Haroz studied
piano for ten years. At the age of 18 she began learning the harp and
studied at the Rubin Academy for five years.
Her repertoire includes many works that have been dedicated to her,
including Yehezkel Broun’s Concerto for Harp, which she premiered
with the Israel
Sinfonietta Beer Sheva, conducted by Lars Schneider, and
then with the Israel Chamber Orchestra conducted by Steve Sloan.
Haroz also gave the world premiere of Haim Permont’s Nigun for
Harp and Orchestra, in Seattle, with conductor Christoph Chagnard.
Haroz won prizes for best performance of an Israeli piece, Music
for Nicanor, by Natra, and for her extensive lecture concerts in
Israel. She is a judge for the International Harp Competition in
Israel and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the World
Harp Congress.
Lamah Lo?, a children’s book and CD authored by Adina
Haroz and illustrated by her daughter Mitke, is a story about Adina, her
family and their love of music, and is a must have for Hebrew-speaking
children.
Together with her son, trombonist Nitzan Haroz, Haroz founded
the Duo Haroz, performing works specially composed for this
very unique harp and trombone ensemble. Duo Haroz has performed in
Israel, Europe and the United States.
Text and photos
by Michele Kaplan-Green
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Updated contact information will be sent
