The Israeli Chamber Project is a group of young, first-rate Israeli musicians who recently played to a full house in Carnegie Hall — with a spillover crowd outside. But these musicians do not save their talents for high-profile performances. As Haaretz reports, the musicians (including the Project’s founder, Tibi Cziger), are deeply committed to involving a broad audience in their projects, which include everything from chamber music concerts to private lessons for high school students:
“The group is very close-knit and everyone is infused with this devotion to the trips,” says Cziger….”The fact [that] we bring the exact same program performed for audiences in the center – which supposedly understands more and is more sophisticated – is very important.
“The international success of our musicians, who have performed worldwide and earned prizes, is another important factor,” Cziger adds. “When the high-school students read in the program notes that we returned from a concert tour on the West Coast of America, and that two weeks before meeting with them we played Carnegie Hall – this realization that we didn’t put together a concert specifically for them, but are bringing them what we bring to the world, contributes to a much greater level of involvement and attentiveness.”
The ensemble members talk to the audience at eye level, joke around, explain things in an accessible fashion and dress like everyone else. “This way the barriers are broken down,” says Cziger. “It shows the audience the human side of being musicians. Most people see musicians in concert attire and remain quiet, and this ice needs to be broken.”
Read the whole thing. And to learn more about the Project, visit their website.