Mandolin maestro

THERE aren’t many musicians who, when it comes to engaging their audience, can say they have been compared to the likes of Mick Jagger or Jimi Hendrix, but that’s the case for the charismatic mandolin artist Avi Avital.

Avital, who return to our shores later this month to lead the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra following his sell-out 2014 Brandenburg debut, is more than happy to be ranked alongside the true rock legends.

“It’s wonderful and very flattering,” says Avital with a laugh during a phone interview with The AJN from his home in Berlin.

“Engaging the public in my music is my job – it’s part of the profession. We as musicians on stage are serving the audience who come to hear us with art, with good music, and hopefully with an experience that goes beyond entertainment – that is artistic and spiritual for some.

“Wrapping up the beautiful music into the ceremonial experience of a concert hall is part of it.”

Avital, the first mandolin soloist to be nominated for a classical Grammy Award, adds: “I’m happy whenever I feel that the audience is engaged in the music and goes back home after the concert with an uplifted feeling.”

Born in Beersheva in southern Israel in 1978, Avital first picked up a mandolin at the age of eight. The graduate of the Jerusalem Music Academy and the Conservatorio Cesare Pollini in Italy has certainly been making the mandolin very much his own ever since.

“I definitely feel that the mandolin is an extension of myself,” he says. “When I play music, I almost have to remind myself that I’m holding the mandolin in my hand. When I’m engaged in the performance, I just don’t think about it. The mandolin literally merges into the music.”

Currently based in Berlin with his wife Roni, an academic, and their three-year-old son Hillel, Avital continues to perform to packed houses around the world – everywhere from London’s Royal Albert Hall to the Forbidden City in Beijing and the Carnegie Hall in New York.

“I just arrived back in Berlin from a long tour – I was in Los Angeles and then Italy,” he says. “Back here, you find yourself at a concert hall very often. It’s overwhelming how rich this town is in terms of culture.

“Berlin has become not only a really cultural city, but the centre of the ‘industry’. It’s a little bit like how you hear of actors going to live in Hollywood for some years.”

That’s certainly not to say, however, that Avital has ruled out setting up a permanent home again in Israel, where his parents and sisters still live. Far from it, in fact.

“The definition of home is quite flexible with my profession and my life at the moment, but I still definitely feel that Israel is my home,” he reflects. “I can easily imagine myself moving back there in some years.

“I’m at the peak of my career and it makes a lot of sense for now to be here, but of course, more than anything, I imagine myself going back to Israel and my family, friends and natural habitat. That’s the plan.”

In the meantime, Avital reveals he’s greatly looking forward to returning to Australia for what looks set to be another successful tour with the Brandenburg musicians, together with artistic director and conductor Paul Dyer.

“I had a blast last time performing with the Brandenburg to an incredibly enthusiastic audience – I remember always full halls and an extremely warm welcome from the audience,” he says.

“Brandenburg is an amazing orchestra to work with and play with on stage – and also to spend time with off stage. They’re absolutely wonderful people and wonderful musicians. Last time, I also got to have some days off when I could just enjoy the wonderful cities, and I look forward to all of that again.”

This time, audiences are set to enjoy a concert of “lightness, beauty, virtuosity and romantic sonority”.

“The focus will be Vivaldi,” reveals Avital. “We’ll be really deep into Vivaldi’s repertoire. The three concertos that I will perform with the ABO this time are monumental symbols in Vivaldi’s repertoire.

“One of them is the only concerto that Vivaldi actually wrote especially for the mandolin, so it’s a very important piece and I’m happy we’ll have the opportunity to present it.

“The other two concertos by Vivaldi are the two most famous that Vivaldi wrote, originally for the violin – they’re very recognisable.

“The experience I want the audience to have is to listen to these extremely famous pieces that I’m sure everyone in the hall has in their mind, but from a fresh ear – and to rediscover them.”

Avital will perform with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane a program that features Vivaldi’s Concerto for Strings in C major, Concerto in A minor, Mandolin Concerto in C major, Concerto in G minor, Valentini’s Concerto Grosso In A Minor and Paisiello’s Mandolin Concerto in E-Flat Major.

Avital has performed many times as a soloist, including concerts with the Berliner Symphoniker, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, Metropolis Ensemble NY, Israel Philharmonic and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. He has collaborated with artists such as Giora Feidman, Dawn Upshaw and Richard Galliano.

In 2010 Avital received a Grammy Award nomination in the category of best instrumental soloist for his recording of Avner Dorman’s Mandolin Concerto. He has won numerous competitions and awards, including Germany’s Echo Prize for his 2008 recording with the David Orlowsky Trio and the 2007 Aviv Competition, the top national competition for Israeli soloists.

Avi Avital performs with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra at the City Recital Hall, Sydney from October 26-November 4, at the Melbourne Recital Centre on November 5-6 and in Brisbane on November 8. Bookings: www.brandenburg.com.au

REPORT by Jackie Brygel

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