(live here) – With his wife Rita from Kinneret, their daughters, two cats and the dog Tosha – the conductor Barak Tal loves Haifa and travels around the world between prestigious concert stages.
The section that brings you fascinating Haifa characters in their homes – the introduction is through the stories, the charges and the unique point of view of the people who make up the human mosaic of our city Haifa. In other words, this is life and living here – just like the name of the section – “I also live here”. Link to all articles in the section
Born in Haifa – returned to Haifa
Barak was born in Haifa in 1975 and has been living there for the past few years. He is the founder and musical director of the Tel Aviv Soloists Ensemble from 2001 until now. For his occupations, Ter Barak was found in various places around the world. He appears on major stages in the world, including the Carnegie Hall in New York, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Tchaikovsky Conservatory Hall in Moscow, the Sao Paulo Hall in Brazil, the Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, the “Concerthaus” in Vienna, the Culture Hall in Tel Aviv and the “Margitziget” amphitheater in Budapest, as well as at major international festivals in Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Greece, South Korea and Russia. As well as on many radio and television broadcasts in Israel and Europe. Perhaps it can be said of him that he is the conductor whose body is throughout the country and the world – but whose heart is in Haifa.
Tosha’s “music”.
In the foyer of the house we are not greeted by a musical chime or a special instrumental piece – but by the loud and incessant barking of the dog “Tosha”. After a few minutes, the dog calms down and once again the calm and quiet returns, literally without any sound, as frequently the music is heard very strongly and clearly in the conductor’s mind.
Additional articles in Haifa – Haifa News:
Suzuki’s method
Barak, as mentioned, was born in Haifa, although his sister is two years older than him and his brother is four years younger than him. When he was about two years old, the family went to Canada, and there, already at the age of 4, he began to learn to play the viola in the Suzuki method. This is a method that is not just a method of learning to play music – but its essence in a pedagogical philosophy of life. Suzuki believed that playing music should not be a burden. In his opinion, music should not be a job or a profession where you practice all day. This is how Suzuki invented an experiential curriculum. Instead of the student spending many hours in movement exercises and complex etudes – compose easy pieces of music, and “implant” in them, in an indirect and sophisticated way, new exercises. Learning the method is done in groups, while playing experientially.
From the viola to the violin
After the family returned to Israel, Barak replaced the viola with a violin. He studied at the “Memory of Joseph” school and then a little in the cities of God – then again for a year abroad, this time in Boston-USA. When they returned to Israel again, Barak began a musical career as a violinist in the youth orchestras in Haifa, in musical ensembles in the music department of the Wicho School of Arts in Haifa, and in the Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
English mixed with Russian with a dash of Hebrew
Barak mentions with nostalgia and blessing the violin teacher, Robert Canty, who accompanied him throughout his childhood and youth and the wonderful teacher Irena Svetlova, who spoke English mixed with Russian and with a dash of Hebrew, and Avner Biron, who serves as the musical director of the Israeli Camerata Jerusalem – who was a model for learning for him – On how to build a cohesive and high-quality orchestra in an artistic way.
“The music chooses us”
Barak claims that the saying “the music chooses us and we do not choose it”, is indeed a muscle and exists and is true for him as well. Like his sister and brother, Barak was designated by his parents to continue his studies at the Technion – as they said: “You must study a practical profession”. At that time, they did not see music as such. The condition set for him to continue his studies at Wicho High School for the Arts was a full matriculation which would include 5 units of study in all real subjects.
Music studies in Israel and around the world
After his military service as an outstanding musician, Barak studied conducting at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem, and at the Buchman-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University, with Dr. Yevgeni Tsirlin and the late Prof. Mandy Rodan. He also studied abroad with the conductors Kurt Mazur (Germany), Nema Järvi (Estonia), Jorma Panula (Finland), Vladimir Funkin (Russia) and Jolt Nag (Hungary-Germany).
As a guest conductor he has performed with most orchestras in Israel, including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as with orchestras in Germany, Austria, Russia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, China, South Korea and more. In 2012, Barak Tal was appointed musical director of the Collegium Choir, a position he held for about two years.
Guest or regular
A permanent conductor of an orchestra (as opposed to a guest conductor), is a player involved in the artistic management of the orchestra or opera company, he is sometimes referred to as a “musical director”, or in the German term Kapellmeister. Senior conductors (like senior musicians) are sometimes awarded the Italian honorific title Maestro.
Here it is worth noting that the life of a “guest conductor” who travels around the world is lonely and difficult, since each player in different ensembles or orchestras is often surrounded by many colleagues and friends. This is not the case when the title holder is a “guest conductor”.
Rita
Despite this, at the end of November 2008, the parable “dare turned out sweet” took place – when, while wandering around the world, and more specifically in Moscow, Barak Tal met “a young, beautiful, tall, nice and blonde Kinneret, who, in addition to all these, was the only one who spoke the English language “. It was the first Kinneret Rita, who later became his wife and the mother of their two daughters.
educational initiatives
Today, Barak devotes a lot of his time to working with young musicians and musical education, as the conductor of the symphony orchestras of the “Wicho Haifa High School for the Arts” (2012-2017) and of the conservatories in Givatayim and Be’er Sheva, as musical director of Matan (Youth Culture and Art Enterprise – 2008 -2010), and an initiator of educational programs in conservatories across the country, in collaboration with the Tel Aviv Soloists Ensemble. It goes without saying that starting in 2017 he also serves as a member of the teaching staff at the Buchman-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University.
“burnt fan”
In 2003 he moved to Givatayim, since most of his professional activity took place in the central area. For nine years he lived near the area where his father grew up. In 2006, and in the spirit of his father’s past stories and nostalgia about the Makhteshe Stadium, which was the soccer stadium of Hapoel Ramat-Gan Givatayim in the Borochov neighborhood of the city, Barak was drawn to the Makhetesh and to his favorite team – Hapoel RG Givatayim. As an “ardent fan” even the cover for his mobile phone It is in the color of… red! Likewise, during his conduct of the Moran choir, a song was dedicated and sung to the red group.
In his spare time, Barak engages in his sports activities and his childhood love – the game of tennis. He also visits the gym and only occasionally switches to the treadmill at his residence.
Actually Haifa
The renewed naturalization in Haifa came from a multitude of motives and complexities, the first of which was the intention of Oded Zahavi (an Israeli composer, arranger and pianist, professor of music at the University of Haifa), who warned Barak of the possible cost of the frenetic lifestyle. Zahavi advised him to “calm down” his many running around, which are often a compulsion and the necessity of reality in the world of musicians, in a calmer and more peaceful life. Therefore, he chose the city of his childhood love, the green city, whose solid atmosphere and moderate and quiet allowance differ from the noise of the center. In addition to that, it was also an opportunity to get closer to his family and parents.
Childhood, two cats and a dog
For the past 3 years, Rita and Barak Tal have been living in their current apartment peacefully and comfortably, with their two young daughters, with the dog “Tosha” who was adopted in Russia by Rita (thus improving the fate of the dog – because in Russia it is customary to kill abandoned dogs) and with the two Haifa street cats “Beni” and ” Obama”.
Rita’s work
Following a major water leak and various other malfunctions (which were not subsequently reported to the couple by the sellers of the property) – the apartment was “continually” renovated. Only recently was the final thought completed, with Rita being responsible for the design. Despite being scratched, Rita is a violin teacher and even a regular violinist in the orchestra Haifa – her handiwork is evident in everything – in planning and execution. Barak’s role was in carrying the wallpaper materials and the ceramic coating to the house on the one hand, and on the other hand in spending time with the young girls in various destinations. Rita engaged, labored and took pains in the handiwork itself – the results of which reflect beauty and elite professionalism.
Sheet music in any situation
Since the constraints of the profession motivate Barak to wander a lot, he combines the travel times (especially by train) with work, so the iPad is used as his main work tool, where there is an extensive sheet music library as well as all the correspondence related to the management of his work. Tal is able to memorize a sheet music while traveling on the train, in line at the post office, and even in line at the Kopf – but his favorite places for learning and memorizing are the hammock on the balcony of his house and the living room. Barak is able to “wander” with the iPad from one sitting place to another, from the kitchen to the living room and the dining area – and everywhere Persist in learning the scores.
Character books and biographies
In his office there are about 300 folders of sheet music and various musical works arranged according to the ABC order. However, if we are talking about books – Shabarak likes to read biographies about musicians and composers, as well as books about the lives of politicians, such as Arik Sharon, Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Lightning.
Novels
Also interesting novels by writers such as Paul Auster, Eshkol Nevo, Amos Oz and Michal Shalev. He likes to read and just recently read the book “West of the Moon” by Michal Shalev, which deals with a gifted pianist, who conquers the world with his playing, but his complex relationships with his childhood, with women In his life, and with a soul friend who died – they cloud his happiness. The story discusses the inner and outer journey, both of the hero and of the outgoing reader and carries him from the present to the past.
the kitchen
Barak really likes the kitchen area. On one side is the coffee corner with a dedicated device for the coffee capsules, a kettle, a jug of water, spoons and chocolate powder. Literally a coffee corner, like in the office… but in addition, his love for the kitchen is also thanks to the delicious foods that come out of it. Foods that emerge into the designed dining area, surrounded by an arch of windows decorated with flower pots and a green landscape.
Rita’s wonderful hands are also evident in the combination and cultivation of the orchid plants that decorate appropriate corners throughout the living space in perfect harmony and next to the games of the young girls, among them you can also find an ancient and elegant music stand used for conducting studies.
Among the most beautiful cities in the world
Barak believes that Haifa is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He speculates on the possibility that thanks to the urban structure of Haifa, it is possible to leave the house and within minutes arrive and walk along a marked path for an entire hour, without seeing any person or building. He very much enjoys living near his parents’ residence, who help a lot in raising and spoiling the two granddaughters. Barak says that his soul mates are musicians who unfortunately do not live in Israel, but he found wonderful friends in his neighborhood, most of whom are connected to the girls’ education frameworks.
Paganini • Tel Aviv Soloists Ensemble, Kinneretist Rachel Barton Payne and conductor Barak Tal – Rappaport Hall, Haifa 3/12/22 (Photo: Racheli Auerbach) ◄ Watch
“Pearl City”
Tal believes that the city of Haifa is developing both in terms of tourism and the artistic aspect. In his vision, Haifa should be turned into a Riviera city, the number 1 tourist city in the world, all the pollutants should be removed and it should be turned into a “pearl city”. In general, he says that he really believes in the mayor, Einat Kalish, and thinks that she knows exactly how to make Haifa a leading touristic and cultural city in the world, and hopes that they will let her work without interruptions.
The creation in his mind
The melody of the “Eroica” – Ludwig van Beethoven’s third symphony in E flat major, Opus 55, a work that many consider to herald the beginning of the romantic period in classical music – is now playing in Tal’s mind. For this work he intends to win in a little while in Slovakia. Therefore, he tells about the difference between the urban listening audience and the audience of the periphery and the audience abroad.
Audiences
To his feelings, the urban-urban audience is saturated with cultural events and listens to works in large halls, and for that reason it is a somewhat distant audience. On the other hand, the audience in the periphery (Afula, Tirat Carmel, Ein Tamar, Ramla), which consumes the shows in smaller halls, is a much warmer audience, truly authentic and expressive, something that reminds him of the audience abroad. For example, the audience in South America and South Korea , for whom as long as there was no encore, the performance was not over. This is an audience that demands photographs and autographs from the artists and expresses the greatest appreciation.
Home, family, work and green Haifa
Barak wishes for continued “home time” with the members of his beloved family, alongside his continued activity in teaching conducting students and concerts throughout the country and the world, or in other words: his soul yearns for a crazy schedule, filled with family calm immersed in the greenery of Haifa.
