Music Director & Chief Conductor: Dan Ettinger

Director General: Ofer Sela

Photo: Ilan Sfira

The Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion (ISO) was founded in 1988 by the municipality of Rishon LeZion. A year later, in 1989, it became the resident orchestra of The Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv. Within a short period of time the ISO was accepted as one of the leading and most innovative musical organizations in Israel. As the Opera Orchestra the ISO participates in all the performances of The Israeli Opera season at the opera house in Tel Aviv and in the grand open-air performances, crowned in recent years with performances at the Masada Festival.

The ISO Music Directors include Shimon Cohen, Noam Sheriff, Asher Fisch, Mendi Rodan, and Dan Ettinger. The recently appointed Music Director and Chief Conductor is James Judd. The Director General is Ariel Cohen.The ISO offers a variety of subscription series, family concerts and special performances for young people and senior members of the community. Symphonic, vocal and opera works from diverse musical eras are performed by internationally acclaimed conductors and soloists.

For its dedication and its outstanding achievement in the advancement of original Israeli works the ISO has been awarded the ACUM prize. In addition to being the first orchestra in Israel to publicly perform works by Richard Strauss, Alexander Zemlinsky and others, the ISO plays a major role in important local events, festivals and park concerts and creates a vital community impact of uncompromising quality in its programs of classical music, contemporary music, Israeli songs and popular music, contemporary dance, modern arts, cinema and other media.The ISO has toured Europe, China and South America, performing at the most prestigious festivals and concerts halls, receiving great acclaim from public and press alike. The ISO records for both radio and TV and has released a series of CDs including premieres of Israeli works.

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