99.5CRB - Boston - CHRIS VOSS writes.......When I asked Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital about his newest album and how it differed from his previous mandolin albums, he answered me with a wry, winking smile: "I don't have other mandolin albums." Which is true enough. Avital's past albums - like the 2012 Bach album or the 2015 Vivaldi album - have mostly included pieces composed for other instruments, like the keyboard, violin, or guitar, in arrangements for mandolin. The mandolin was not the focus. As he puts it, those albums featured works that he enjoys playing "because it's beautiful music." To this day, that he plays the mandolin is simply "is a technical fact."  But with Art of the Mandolin, music written for his instrument takes center stage. In our discussion we explore the ins and outs of the instrument, talk about how composers's social perception of the mandolin shaped how they wrote for it, hear a work that was assumed to be for keyboard but simply makes more sense played on mandolin, and chat about Avital's passion for expanding the repertoire for his instrument through frequent commissioned works. LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

For the last episode of 2020, Harmonious World's Hilary Robertson interviewed mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital. Avi has a new album out - 'Art of the Mandolin' - which feature music composed specifically for the instrument. There are some stunning performances and this is a great album to end 2020 with. Avi was the first mandolin soloist to be nominated for a classical Grammy, and you can hear why for yourself. Backed by years of study and critically acclaimed performances, Avi Avital's latest album for Deutsche Grammophon presents a survey of the finest works ever written for mandolin. The pioneering Israeli musician's first full recording of original compositions for his instrument reflects the quality and breadth of its classical repertoire. Art of the Mandolin, released today internationally, also charts the artistic journey of a performer whose inspired new commissions and arrangements of virtuoso works have introduced the solo mandolin to the world's leading concert halls. Art of the Mandolin, on which Avital is joined by the Venice Baroque Orchestra, harpist Anneleen Lenaerts, guitarist Sean Shibe, harpsichordist Yizhar Karshon and theorbo player Ophira Zakai, includes a concerto by Vivaldi, a sonata by Domenico Scarlatti, Beethoven's exquisite yet little-known Adagio ma non troppo for mandolin and harpsichord (or harp), and more recent chamber and solo works by Paul Ben-Haim, Hans Werner Henze, Giovanni Sollima and David Bruce. The programme not only reveals the versatility of this instrument but allows glimpses of its fascinating history over the last three centuries. Avital has specifically chosen music by composers not known for their mandolin works: "I wanted to explore what the instrument meant, and means, in the wider world – to composers who are, as it were, coming to it from the outside rather than the inside."  LISTEN Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HWpodcast)

This Week Intermezzo Host Chris Wolf had the pleasure of talking with mandolin phenome Avi Avital about his latest CD. Click here to see the page, look at the video, and read the entire conversation here below. 2020 will be remembered for the COVID 19 pandemic. Throughout this year, all sectors of the arts have taken a huge hit with concerts, exhibitions, and theatre performances all being cancelled for the foreseeable future. Thankfully COVID 19 has not crushed the artistic spirit. Artists have continued to create and share their art in whatever means necessary; this artistic spirit that has continued to shine through these unusual times. The Israeli mandolin virtuoso, Avi Avital's latest disc "The Art of the Mandolin" could surely be described as one of the brightest lights that have come out of the classical recording industry in 2020. Recorded in January 2020 "The Art of the Mandolin" made it just under the wire before the lockdowns hit. "They were beautiful days of recording" says Avital "I love it so much, you get to go so deep into the music." Avital had good musical company in the recording studio. He is joined on the album by some of the absolute best players on their individual instruments in the world. Guitarist Sean Shibe, harpist Anneleen Lenaerts, theorbo player Ophira Zakai, and Harpsichordist Yozhar Karshon all perform on the CD, making it an absolute joy to listen to! Avital says the musicians on the disc rehearsed a lot and before the sessions and even did a couple of performances to run through the material before the recording sessions started. "It was absolutely lovely." Then the March lockdowns started, which for Avital was a mixed blessing. "It actually gave me the time to edit it, and post produce it in a way I like." Avital says. One of the other benefits was that in Avital's words "It sort of saved me from sinking into reading the news all day, and thinking about all the concerts that had been cancelled. It gave me an opportunity to do music and know that I am producing something…that was really helpful and nice." "The Art of the Mandolin" is made up of a wide variety of music. Works by more familiar composers such as Vivaldi, Beethoven and Scarlatti, are on the disc, but also twentieth century composers such as Hans Werner Henze, Paul Ben-Haim, and David Bruce. The one trait that ties the album together is that all of the works are performed on instruments that are plucked. In regards to the Henze Avital says "There is an attempt here to create the equivalent of a string quartet or woodwind quintet…or whatever the chamber music ultimate format is for the plucked strings family in classical music." This is a character and quality that binds the disc together, and as a listener you will be amazed at all of the wonderful colors and textures that are created by the various combinations of plucked string instruments. It is really quite remarkable! Avi Avital is known for his championing the mandolin as a serious concert instrument. He has had dozens and dozens of works written for him, and has never ceased to explore and adapt literature so that it can be performed on the mandolin. An interesting example of this is a Scarlatti sonata that he has arranged for mandolin, theorbo, and cello. Avital makes a convincing argument that this sonata was written for mandolin, or some other stringed instrument. One of the biggest reasons that he is convinced it not written for the keyboard is that the stretch that Scarlatti demands for a keyboard player is extreme, whereas if the piece were played on mandolin, the writing becomes much more idiomatic and makes much more sense. Another notable example of Avital's exploration of the literature on the CD is a piece by the Israeli composer Paul Ben-Haim; his piece "Sonata a tre". This is music written for mandolin, guitar and harpsichord. "This piece was found by coincidence in 2001 by one of my friends, we were studying at the same school in Jerusalem," says Avital. "As a student job he was working at a musical archive. One day while literally dusting the shelves he discovered this piece." Avital and his friend spent the next four months trying to decipher Ben-Haim's hand writing and figuring things out. The result is a wonderful piece full of classical and Middle Eastern flavors. "The Art of the Mandolin" is a phenomenal CD! Avi Avital's musicianship, virtuosity and passion come shining through on the disc, and is made that much more enjoyable by the fabulous musicians he has performing with him on the disc. This is a CD that has to be heard.

"Art of the Mandolin" is a celebration of the mandolin and its diverse repertoire, offering a guided tour of the instrument's rich history and a star performer's personal selection of some of its greatest compositions. However, as Avi Avital comments: "This is not an introduction to the mandolin. It's the essence of the mandolin." Avital, who has commissioned and premiered many new mandolin works himself, was keen to focus here on music composed specifically for his instrument and, in the process, showcase its versatility. He was joined for the recording by the Venice Baroque Orchestra, harpist Anneleen Lenaerts, guitarist Sean Shibe, harpsichordist Yizhar Karshon, and theorbo player Ophira Zakai. For November 19 2020, Avi Avital - Art of the Mandolin is the WFMT: Chicago 'Featured New Release'

Mandolinist Avi Avital has brought the music he loves into venues of every sort. But his nightclub Vivaldi and his Carnegie Hall Bach have the same loving approach – deeply felt, nuanced with sparkling precision, and phrased with the natural breathing of a singer. While he is one of those performers whose warm and humble presence can win an audience over before he even plays, his technique allows him to communicate with virtually every note. "When I play," he says, "I try to cancel everything. In a way, to disappear. To just become a channel to this music. " Now, Deutsche Grammophon has released a deluxe edition of Avi Avital's 2012 solo album Bach, with Avital and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra playing mandolin arrangements of concertos written for other instruments. New on the release is a gorgeous performance of Avital's arrangement of Bach's Solo Violin Partita No. 2 (which ends with one of Bach's most profound creations, the famous Chaconne). Also included is the opening prelude of Bach's first cello suite (see trailer below). There's also a DVD of two Bach concertos performed in concert. Avi Avital J.S. Bach is the WCRB: Boston 'CD Of the Week'

The mandolin has never gotten the respect it deserves in the context of classical music; these days in Europe it's most commonly associated with syrupy Neapolitan love songs, and in the US it's most widely known as a bluegrass instrument. But the repertoire of classical music featuring the mandolin is, if not vast, at least considerable, and one of the most notable composers to have used that instrument as a solo vehicle is Antonio Vivaldi, two of whose concerti (along with one trio sonata) are presented on this album by Julien Martineau. As lovely as these pieces are, though, what's really striking on his album are the more contemporary mandolin concertos of Raffaele Calace (written in 1925) and another by the relatively obscure baroque composer Domenico Caudioso. The Bach album is a very different sort of program. This one consists of concertos, a sonata, a partita, and a suite all originally written for different instruments and presented here in arrangements (by Avital himself) for mandolin as the solo instrument. The package is actually a reissue of an album originally issued in 2012, augmented by significant bonus material including a DVD of Avital playing two of the pieces from the original album with a different ensemble. The playing on both of these albums is outstanding, and the tonal contrast between the two instruments is worth noting–Martineau's mandolin is brighter and more silvery, whereas Avital's has a darker and woodier tone. Both releases are highly recommended to all libraries. SEE ALL THE CD Hotlist REVIEWS p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px}

Orchestra Hall will swell with baroque precision April 25-27 when the Detroit Symphony Orchestra celebrates "Vivaldi's Gloria," with four works by one of the classical canon's biggest crowd-pleasers. The guest conductor will be Nicholas McGegan, whom the London Independent called "one of the finest baroque conductors of his generation." The featured soloist will be the celebrated Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital. The program includes Vivaldi's Concerto for Strings, Concerto for Mandolin, Concerto Grosso and his mass, "Gloria." For spice, Avital will also perform Anna Clyne's recent Concerto for Mandolin and Strings "Three Sisters," giving his instrument special prominence throughout the evening. READ THE FULL Detroit News ARTICLE p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px}

After a century of outstanding classical music programming in Santa Barbara, CAMA on Tuesday, December 11, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra will perform a free community concert at the Granada in honor of CAMA's 100th anniversary, and it's going to be a special night thanks to the presence of master mandolinist Avi Avital. This concert is part of the LACO's Baroque Conversations concert series, and pairs two double violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi with a complete version of the composer's most famous work, The Four Seasons. The featured soloist for The Four Seasons will be Avi Avital, the outstanding classical mandolin player of his generation. READ THE FULL Santa Barbara Independent ARTICLE

A happy and healthy New Year to all our listeners celebrating the Jewish High Holidays! And for ALL our listeners, here's our delightful Album of the Week: Between Worlds with Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital. Avital is acclaimed for his recordings of Baroque classical masters J.S. Bach and Vivaldi. Between Worlds, released by Deutsche Grammophon in 2014, is something entirely different. In it, the artist coalesces some famous friends from the jazz and world-music scenes, including accordionist Richard Galliano, klezmer clarinetist Giora Feidman, percussionist Itamar Doari, and others. Together, they charm us with infectious interpretations of music from around the globe. READ THE FULL WRTI: Philadelphia ARTICLE

AVI Avital is doing for the mandolin what the great Spaniard Andreas Segovia did for the classical guitar - lifting the instrument from being an occasional curiosity into becoming a concert hall mainstream player. He's doing it by combining his own arrangements of Baroque and folk pieces written for the violin with works commissioned from contemporary composers to expand the limited repertoire. Apart from some works by Vivaldi and fleeting appearances in operas, there's not a lot of serious music written for the eight-string member of the lute family, and putting that right is his life's mission. Judging by his debut tour for Musica Viva with the crack Giocoso String Quartet he's doing a wonderful job of it with a program featuring two superb new pieces for this unusual line-up and a stunning take on a fiddler's showcase in J.S. Bach's Chaconne. The Israeli mandolinist is one of the few classical musicians to have attracted a following more often associated with rock or sport stars. SEE THE Daily Telegraph PAGE p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #606060} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #606060; min-height: 14.0px}

Berlin, Berlin! Germany´s capital is full of music and many episodes of Sarah´s Music have been filmed here. Sarah Willis shares one of her favourite Berlin episodes...with Avi Avital. Acknowledged by The New York Times for his "exquisitely sensitive playing" and "stunning agility", Grammy-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital is one of the world's most exciting and adventurous musicians. He is deeply committed to building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance in a range of genres and commissioning new works for mandolin. Internationally regarded for his performances at venues including Carnegie Hall (Weill Hall), Lincoln Center, Berlin Philharmonie, KKL Luzern, Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing and the Wigmore Hall. He has appeared as soloist with the Berliner Symphoniker, Orchestre National de Montpellier, Oxford Philomusica, Sczczecin Philharmonic, Potsdam Kammerakademie, Philharmonischer Kammerorchester Berlin, Metropolis Ensemble NY, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, Geneva Camerata, Israel Philharmonic, I Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. He has collaborated extensively with artists such as Giora Feidman, Dawn Upshaw and Richard Galliano and has also been featured at the Tanglewood, Luzern, Spoleto, and Ravenna summer Festivals. Avital's latest recording is a pairing with bassist Omer Avital. The 2 have combined their creative energy and set out in search of their cultural roots on Avital Meets Avital, released on Deutsche Grammophon. These Avitals share no blood relation, though their musical careers have intersected and ultimately were rooted in the same place. Both musicians have parents of Moroccan descent who immigrated to Israel in the 1960s and both went to conservatory. WATCH THE Deutsche Welle - Sarah´s Music SEGMENT

According to Deutsche Grammophon recording artist Avi Avital, while the bass is not bad, it's more about that mandolin. Which is also what this whole episode is about! Avi tells all: Where did the mandolin come from? Who composes for it? Why does he advocate for such a strange instrument? And how much did he play that one REM song in high school? Learn all of this and more right here!  LISTEN TO THE KUHA: Houston - Classical Classroom SEGMENT Music in this episode: The Music of Brazil / Jacob do Bandolim, Vol. 1 / Recordings 1949 - 1958. "Choro de varanda". Mike Marshall and Chris Thile: "Fisher's Hornpipe". From Into the Cauldron. Hamilton ee Holanda: Choro Caprice for Caprichos. Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonatina for Mandolin and fortepiano in C Major. Diego Fasolis and Duilio Galfetti. Domenico Scarlatti: Mandolin Sonata in D minor Allegro. Camerata Mandolinos Classico. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Don Giovanni, "Deh vieni alla finestra". Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Mandolin Concerto in G major, S. 28. REM: "Losing My Religion" from Out of Time. Antonio Vivaldi, from Avi Avital's CD Vivaldi: Concerto in A minor RV 356 Largo from Converto in C major RV 443 Concerto in G minor RV 315 "Summer" from The Four Seasons.   Audio production by Todd "Terrific" Hulslander with electric slides by Dacia Clay and editing by Mark DiClaudio.

Classical WETA 90.9 FM showcases notable new (or newly reissued) CDs each week. Hear selections from the CD on-air throughout the week, and check online to learn more about the artist and the music. Our friends at ArkivMusic join in by putting that recording on sale for the entire week and contributing a portion of each sale to WETA. Classical WETA and sister station VivaLaVoce.org join forces for our CD Picks this week with a focus on Venice, Italy.  Or, as it was known in Vivaldi's time, Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia, or La Serenissima for short.  Baroque songs from the Republic with countertenor Max Emanuel Cencic are featured this week on VivaLaVoce.org, and, on Classical WETA, mandolinist Avi Avital "re-imagines the sounds of Venice in this vivid homage to the most beloved composer of the Italian Baroque," Antonio Vivaldi. READ THE FULL WETA: Washington DC ARTICLE

New Classical Tracks is a Syndicated Feature airing Nationally on Classical 24 & Statewide on Minnesota Public Radio. Listen to Julie Amacher's Feature with Avi Avital Treviso is a charming, historic town with Renaissance squares, palaces, richly frescoed churches, and streets woven with ancient waterways. According to mandolinist Avi Avital, this quiet, stress-free gateway to Venice was the perfect place to record the music of the Baroque master, Antonio Vivaldi. He was from Venice, and so is the orchestra on this disc. "While recording Vivaldi, obviously, I really wanted to do it with them because recording this Venetian music with an orchestra that's actually all from Venice just added this extra spice to it. You perform, you rehearse Vivaldi in the lunch break, you eat Venetian food, in the rehearsal everyone speaks Venetian dialect. You're surrounded with Venetian culture. It was a wonderful experience and that's what gives them this extra beat when playing Venetian music." If Avi Avital was to record all the Vivaldi concertos written for mandolin, this recording would be about 16 minutes long. That's why Avi has created some new mandolin arrangements of Vivaldi's other concertos. Initially he was concerned about blending the sound of his modern mandolin with the period instruments of the Venice Baroque Orchestra. In the end, what was important was not the instruments themselves, but how they delivered the authentic message through the music itself. "During the rehearsals, for example, I was avoiding the tremolo, the one technique that is so much associated with mandolin, for producing long notes," Avi explains, "because it wasn't a common technique in the Baroque but also because for me always a tremolo was a sentimental thing, a more romantic thing, and when I play Bach and Vivaldi and Baroque music in general, I tend to avoid that kind of throwback to this nostalgic feeling. So we rehearsed the second movement of Summer by Vivaldi and I was plucking it without any tremolo and trying to keep it elegant and clean. And just for fun in one of the takes, I started to play a little bit of tremolo. And all of them stopped and said, 'Do more of that! It's gorgeous!'" Summer has always been Avi's favorite of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. In fact, a ferocious summer storm blew its way through Venice one afternoon while Avi was preparing to record this work. "You have to really experience it before playing Summer, and I did," he says. "It was a hot summer day and just five minutes before we went to a concert playing this Summer, an enormous hailstorm started to come from the skies. We were all wet and overwhelmed by the surprise of this storm. It went as fast as it came and that was an 'aha' moment for me when I, ten minutes afterwards, played exactly what happened the way Vivaldi describes it in his music in Summer." The Violin concerto in A minor comes from Vivaldi's influential set of 12 concertos called L'Estro Armonico. According to Avi, it's probably the most famous concerto of the set. "For me, this piece is specifically associated with youth," Avi says. "This is the first concerto that everyone plays after two or three years of violin lessons. For myself, and for everyone in the orchestra, it was very much connected with our youth. While recording this piece, we told ourselves, 'Forget what we know about this piece and try to play it like it's the very, very first time you ever heard this music and every cadenza and every sequence blows your mind away,' because the first time you listen to this music, that's the effect. So we were all having this very nice moment in the studio where we really tried to imagine that we were playing it as kids, but of course with the knowledge and the technique and the experience we have as adults." After weaving your way through the six instrumental works on this recording, you can lose yourself along the Grand Canal of Venice with Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez. "That was a very special thing to have him on the album," Avi admits. "I feel very lucky about it. He's just amazing. It's a folk song from the time of Vivaldi. It's in the Venetian dialect and the text is folkloristic - a little bit rude, even. The idea I had was for the people to imagine that they're hearing a concert of Vivaldi's music in Venice at that time in the church or the theater. The concert ended, and now they walk out and they take a gondola back home, and this would be the music they would hear on the streets or in the canals of Venice. This is the real folk Venetian music." This new recording of Vivaldi's music with mandolinist Avi Avital and the Venice Baroque Orchestra is not just a delightful concert, it can be your own personal gateway to Venice.

Last summer, we introduced you to Avi Avital with "Between Worlds", Mr. Avital's second CD for Deutsche Grammophon, where the Israeli-born mandolinist sought to bridge classical and folk genres, and effortlessly navigated between those "worlds".  Now making Berlin his home, Avi is embarking on a tour with Venice Baroque Orchestra, playing works by that city's most famous son, Antonio Vivaldi, including what is arguably the most famous concerto written for Avi's instrument.  This recording is the result of his collaboration with this remarkably versatile and ambitious orchestra, and Mr. Avital matches them note for note in intensity and creative expression.  He told me in my audio blog that he asked himself "how can I offer the listeners an opportunity to hear it for the first time… again?" Along the way, Avi reunites with one of the current leading harpsichordists, the Iranian-born Mahan Esfahani (in Vivaldi's C major trio), and Metropolitan Opera star, Juan Diego Florez, bridging the music of the concert hall with that heard in the canals of Venice.  Listen closely, toward the end of my conversation with Avi, to how I painted a picture in sound for you with the traditional Venetian song performed by Mr. Florez. Avi Avital was a pleasure to speak with: he's an enthusiastic advocate for an instrument that continues to bridge worlds and break down walls between many genres of music.  I think you'll enjoy the time spent listening to our chat. LISTEN TO John Pitman's Interview

Each week WCRB: Boston presents a CD of the Week, which can be heard online and on-air at 99.5 WCRB. The week's pick is Vivaldi from the GRAMMY-nominated Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital. Praised as a both an "enthralling and sensitive soloist" (Boston Globe) and a "convincing advocate for his instrument" (Wall Street Journal), Avital is the first mandolinist signed to Deutsche Grammophon and has brought the instrument to entirely new audiences, building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance and a commitment to commissioning new works and arrangements in a range of genres. His new release Vivaldi, his third album on DG that returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi. On this release, Avital captures the mystical spirit of Venice, shedding new light on Vivaldi's musical genius by performing his own transcriptions of the composer's works, demonstrating the rock star status that he cultivated in his own time. He is joined on the album by the Venice Baroque Orchestra on this, the ensemble's twelfth recording on Deutsche Grammophon. Avital and the VBO are also about to embark on a major North American tour this spring, stopping in Southern California, Miami, Boston and Carnegie Hall as well as Calgary and Montreal (complete dates below).  LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

The GRAMMY-nominated Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital has been praised as a both an "enthralling and sensitive soloist" (Boston Globe) and a "convincing advocate for his instrument" (Wall Street Journal).  As the first mandolinist signed to Deutsche Grammophon, he has brought the instrument to entirely new audiences, building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance and a commitment to commissioning new works and arrangements in a range of genres. On his new release:  Vivaldi, his third album on DG Avital returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi and captures the mystical spirit of Venice, shedding new light on Vivaldi's musical genius by performing his own transcriptions of the composer's works. The Mandolin virtuoso discusses his new release with WGTE: Toledo - Brad Cresswell. Listen to the interview.

Vivaldi will always be a violinist's favorite but mandolin players have plenty of reasons to be thankful for the Red Priest's efforts on behalf of their instrument. He wrote two concertos for the mandolin, both of which Avi Avital plays on his new recording with the Venice Baroque Orchestra, one of today's most respected period-instrument ensembles. Born in Israel, Avital himself lived in Italy for eight years and after making albums of folk-inspired music and J.S. Bach, he turns his attention to Italy's most famous Baroque figure. "Vivaldi" includes his own arrangements of two well-known Vivaldi violin concertos, the two mandolin concertos (with an organ in place of a harpsichord) and a breakneck performance of "Summer," from The Four Seasons. The recording ends with a treat – a lyrical traditional Venetian song, featuring tenor Juan Diego Florez. Avi Avital will appear in The Greene Space with members of the Venice Baroque Orchestra on Thursday at 7 pm and the Vivaldi recording on Deutsche Grammophon is a WQXR: New York / Album Of the Week. WATCH THE Webcast EVENT

GRAMMY-nominated Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital has just released Vivaldi, his third album on DG that returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi. Avital captures the mystical spirit of Venice, shedding and schredding new light on Vivaldi's musical genius by performing his own transcriptions of the composer's works. He is joined on the disc by the Venice Baroque Orchestra, the ensemble's twelfth recording on Deutsche Grammophon. Avital and the VBO are also touring North America to promote. Classical Guitar Alive's Tony Morris sat down with Avi to discuss the album and the mandolin. CGA is Syndicated throughout the US. Listen to the attached clip

GRAMMY-nominated Avi Avital has been praised as a both an "enthralling and sensitive soloist" (Boston Globe) and a "convincing advocate for his instrument" (Wall Street Journal).  As the first mandolinist signed to Deutsche Grammophon, he has brought the instrument to entirely new audiences, building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance and a commitment to commissioning new works and arrangements in a range of genres. On his new release - Vivaldi, he returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi capturing the mystical spirit of Venice. KMFA: Austin - John Clare sat down with Avi to discuss the music. Listen to the Interview and read Avi's post

An ordained priest, Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most prolific composers of all time creating hundreds of works. Renowned for his concertos and operas, including Argippo and Bajazet, Vivaldi's influence, innovation and contribution to the Baroque Period was significant.  Avi Avital's celebrates the composer and the great VBO orchestra on his new DG release - Vivaldi. Avital says:  "Working with the Venice Baroque Orchestra is a great experience. All the players live around Venice and are surrounded by the culture of this unique city. You can hear their incredible understanding of its history in every note." 
Vivaldi was born in Venice on THIS DAY!! March 4th in 1678.  Happy Birthday Antonio CLICK FOR Avi singing Happy Birthday to Vivaldi!

The GRAMMY-nominated Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital has just released Vivaldi, his third album on DG that returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi. Avital captures the mystical spirit of Venice, shedding and schredding new light on Vivaldi's musical genius by performing his own transcriptions of the composer's works. He is joined on the disc by the Venice Baroque Orchestra, the ensemble's twelfth recording on Deutsche Grammophon. Avital and the VBO are also touring North America to promote. Indiana Public Radio's Steven Turpin sat down with Avital to discuss the album and the mandolin. Listen to the attached clip

GRAMMY-nominated Avi Avital is the first mandolinist signed to Deutsche Grammophon and has brought the instrument to entirely new audiences. His new release - Vivaldi,  returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi capturing the mystical spirit of Venice. WABE: Atlanta - Lois Reitzes interviewed Avi for today's Monday March 2 - City Lights feature. Listen to the Attached Interview

Israeli mandolin master, Avi Avital has had a lot of experience transcribing music to fit his instrument since there is relatively little music written specially for the mandolin. In the case of the Vivaldi Mandolin Concerto in C, however, he has the pleasure of performing a great work in its original form. That being said, this new recording also contains a host of Avital's nimble transcriptions, from Vivaldi Concertos for lute, violin, and recorder, to a Venetian Gondolier song, sung by one of today's most popular tenors, Juan Diego Florez. As our CD Of the Week pick, we'll be featuring tracks from 'Vivaldi' throughout this week on KDFC: San Francisco.

GRAMMY®-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital has been called one of the world's most exciting and enterprising musicians, deeply committed to building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance and distinctive new repertoire while celebrating the instrument's classical roots. This Wednesday - February 24, Avital will release Vivaldi, his third album on DG that returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi. On this release, Avital captures the mystical spirit of Venice, shedding new light on Vivaldi's musical genius by performing his own transcriptions of the composer's works. He is joined on the album by the Venice Baroque Orchestra on this, the ensemble's twelfth recording on Deutsche Grammophon. Avital and the VBO are also about to embark on a major North American tour this spring, stopping in Southern California, Miami, Boston and Carnegie Hall as well as Calgary and Montreal Later today he'll perform at the University of Chicago Presents,   but this morning, Lisa Flynn welcomes him to Impromptu.

The GRAMMY-nominated Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital has been praised as a both an "enthralling and sensitive soloist" - Boston Globe) and a "convincing advocate for his instrument" - Wall Street Journal). As the first mandolinist signed to Deutsche Grammophon, he has brought the instrument to entirely new audiences, building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance and a commitment to commissioning new works and arrangements in a range of genres. Avital new Vivaldi recording, his third album on DG, returns the instrument to its origins-the Venetian Baroque and master composer Antonio Vivaldi. On this release, Avital captures the mystical spirit of Venice, shedding new light on Vivaldi's musical genius by performing his own transcriptions of the composer's works, demonstrating the rock star status that he cultivated in his own time. He is joined on the album by the Venice Baroque Orchestra on this, the ensemble's twelfth recording on Deutsche Grammophon. Avital and the VBO are also about to embark on a major North American tour this spring, stopping in Southern California, Miami, Boston and Carnegie Hall as well as Calgary and Montreal  Avital Avital - Vivaldi has been selected as the Classic 107 Classical Recording of the Month for March 2015. Tune in at 8:30 Monday morning March 2nd to hear this great new album and hear the interview with Avital and Classic 107's Michael Wolch. Then every Monday morning at 8:30a throughout the month, hear a new track from the featured CD, and a chance to win a $25 GC from McNally Robinson Booksellers.

Avi Avital re-imagines the sounds of Venice in this vivid homage to the most beloved composer of the Italian Baroque, Antonio Vivaldi. After his introduction with Bach and the colorful exploration of world music on ‘Between Worlds,' Avital presents four popular Vivaldi concertos on this album with the Venice Baroque Orchestra, as well as an 18th-century Venetian gondolier song with tenor Juan Diego Flórez. Avi Avital: Vivaldi on Deutsche Grammophon is the WFMT: Chicago - NEW RELEASE OF THE WEEK. WFMT will feature the Vivaldi: (Lute) Concerto in D major, R 93 (9:22) with Avi Avital, mandolin; Venice Baroque Orchestra  

Bringing a new audience to the mandolin and the harpsichord, Avi Avital always seems to find mandolin ensembles in the most obscure places. Even before performing on stage at the Bristol Proms, he gave a masterclass to Bristol's mandolin group - a rare treat to play with one of the best mandolinists in the world. Speaking to Classic FM's Jane Jones, he explained exactly why he's planning to play some slightly more unexpected music in concert at the Bristol Old Vic. Playing the mandolin isn't just about playing Bach, he says. And sometimes, you might want to duet with another plucked instrument, the harpsichord, played by Mahan Esfahani. "It's nice to give a more panoramic view," he explained. "Both of the instruments tonight are not very commonly heard in concert halls in this setting, as a duo."

Speaking about the concert's diverse programme, he added: "I think after you heard the Takemitsu, we go back to Bach, and you hear the Bach differently." Watch Avi Avital's interview with Classic FM's Jane Jones.

Avi Avital is the Israeli mandolin virtuoso. He showed his class in an unlikely 2012 album of solo Bach. Now with Between Worlds he is joined by very talented friends on accordion, harp, clarinet and other instruments in an entertaining programme of a dozen classical ''pops''. It is entertainingly ''different'' in arrangements of Villa Lobos' Aria from Bachianas Brasilieras No.5 (solo accordion and double bass forming the ''orchestra''), Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances, a traditional Bulgarian melody, Piazolla's tango Fuga y Misterio, Bloch's spiritual Nigun and Falla's lively Siete Canciones Populares Espagnol. There is a very new version of Dvorak's Finale from String Quartet No.12 ('American'), a traditional Welsh melody and Monti's Csardas with no violin in sight - an adventurous tour of musical worlds from east to west.

Avi Avital has been taking Australia by storm, touring to Sydney and Melbourne and introducing audiences to the virtuosic possibilities of the mandolin. Last year we were lucky enough to have Avi perform at our live Sinfini Café session in the UK. He played a fantastic duet with the accordionist Martynas and it made us want to hear more. So we cleared a space in one of our meeting rooms and asked Avi to perform for us once again. Off the cuff, he did an incredible performance of the Prelude from JS Bach's Cello Suite No.1 on the mandola. The sounds he produces have such depth and variety of colour yet he makes it look effortless. WATCH THE Sinfini Music PERFORMANCE.

Avi Avital is hurriedly knocking back a plate of noodles between interviews as I wander into the café where we are meeting. He's taking time to talk on day two of the Australian leg of his 30-day spin around the world, and within moments it's clear that he's a fellow blessed with energy, stamina and an appetite for food and good conversation. He's also a man with a mission – but more of that later. The Israeli-born Avital is here for a ten-day tour of Australia, courtesy of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. For a man who grew up in Be'er Sheva, a modest town in southern Israel, he seems to have developed a healthy case of wanderlust. After studies in Italy, he moved five years ago to Berlin, home to the Philharmonic, and his record label Deutsche Grammophon, and where he lives across the road from the soprano Simone Kermes – coincidentally the last Brandenburg guest artist I interviewed in this exact same café! But none of this was predetermined, for the classical mandolin isn't your usual instrument, and there was no roadmap for Avital's path to international celebrity. "It was a coincidence, like all great things in life are," he tells me. "I grew up in Be'er Sheva where they have a youth orchestra of mandolin players. It was founded by my first teacher, Simcha Nathanson, who was a Russian maestro who played the violin and the mandolin. One of my neighbours played in this orchestra and I went with my parents to a concert, and then I asked to play also." READ THE FULL Limelight Magazine INTERVIEW.

"He's handsome, he's fun, he's poised and refined, and plays with clarity and virtuosity beyond his years," says artistic director Paul Dyer of Israel's talented performer and composer Avi Avital, who will play with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra for their second twenty fifth anniversary concert in May, 2014. Avital is best known for his interpretation of well-known Baroque pieces and folk songs, many of which were originally written for instruments other than a mandolin. He is considered one of the emerging young superstars of the world stage right now, playing his chosen instrument of choice with a clarity and professionalism that belies his years. Avi Avital is "… a brilliant musician who has re-imaged the world of the mandolin" Paul Dyer noted, when talking about how he had chosen the emerging young virtuoso player to be on the orchestra's 25 Anniversary year program. Together they will ‘celebrate the mandolin, the chameleon of the music world, with a captivating journey of beauty and romance'. READ THE FULL Culture Concept Circle ARTICLE.

As a child growing up in a Moroccan Jewish community in the town of Be'er Sheva, between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in Israel, Avi Avital was surrounded by sounds that grew from lands and cultures both distant and nearby. The neighborhood was one of open doors and windows. Neighbors enjoyed relationships as if they were relatives. As an after-school activity, Avital joined a mandolin ensemble as a boy, mostly because a friend was already in the group. He was immediately smitten with the instrument, which eventually led to study in Italy, the spiritual home of the mandolin. Now based in Berlin, Germany, Avital turned to a composer of that country for the foundation of his first recording for the Deutsche Grammophon label. His interpretations of concertos and sonatas by Bach offered an unexpectedly lyrical voice for that eternal music, prompting one review to write, "Avital's mandolin paints a pointillist rainbow, unlikely and all the more lovely for it." For his newest recording on DG, Avital collects works from a wide musical landscape, infusing each with his own distinct personality and sound. It includes relatively familiar works, like the Seven Popular Spanish Songs by Manuel de Falla and Béla Bartók's Romanian Folk Dances, as well as music that's likely a new discovery for many listeners, like the Miniatures by Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze, or Traditional Bulgarian and Welsh songs. Along the way, Avital's mandolin combines with a variety of other instruments and their virtuoso players, like the accordion of Richard Galliano, the harp of Catrin Finch, and percussion instruments played by Itamar Doari. As Avital says in the video above, Between Worlds is neither Folk nor Classical, allowing the listener to have his or her own associations when hearing the music. Tune in to 99.5 WCRB to hear Avi Avital's Between Worlds. This week's 'CD Of the Week'

Contemporary mandolinists like Avi Avital are taking things to a whole new level, performing Bach with a facility and sensitivity that would put many violinists to shame. Avital tackles different folk traditions, albeit from a classical perspective – hence the recording's title, Between Worlds. While much here will be familiar – Bartók's Roumanian Folk Dances or Villa Lobos' Bachianas Brasileiras No 5 – there are also less well-known works such as Sulkhan Tsintsadze's Miniatures On Georgian Folk Themes. But whether it's Bloch, Monti, Dvorˇák, Falla or Piazzolla, the performances and arrangements here are so fresh and novel that everything sounds new. READ THE FULL Limelight ARTICLE

This week's ABC Classic FM CD of the Week focuses on the art of Avi Avital and his album Between Worlds. The Grammy-nominated mandolin player combines elements of classical and world/folk music to create unique, inspired arrangements.

Grammy-nominated mandolin player Avi Avital has released his second album for Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Music tilted: Between Worlds. Reflecting a blend of genres, Avital uses an improvisational style to address traditional music combining elements of classical and traditional folk. SiriusXM's Bob Edwards spoke with AA about the new album.

Grammy-nominated mandolin player Avi Avital releases his second album - Between Worlds for Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Music Classics. Reflecting a blend of genres, this adventurous musical journey has made it's way on to the CMJ-New World Top 40.

One of this week's featured albums@New York's WQXR is Avi Avital's 'Between Worlds.'  Combining elements of classical and world/folk music, his Grammy-nominated mandolin player's approach in blending genres is both improvisational and traditional.

Grammy-nominated mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital's new album Between Worlds explores the intersections of folk and classical through mandolin arrangements of both folk traditionals and classical pieces. KCME Colorado Springs - Keith Simon speaks with Mr. Avital on 'The Culture Zone' about his new release, combining genres and being a mandolin player.

Grammy-nominated mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital's new album Between Worlds explores the intersections of folk and classical through mandolin and WFSQ Tallahassee 'Cultural Notes' host Dan MacDonald, speaks with Avital TODAY, Friday January 24 @6pET. aon a show called Banjo Boom. Listen in. We're having fun.

Grammy-nominated mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital's new album Between Worlds explores the intersections of folk and classical through mandolin arrangements of both folk traditionals and classical pieces. KUAF Fayetteville / Katy Henriksen speaks with Mr. Avital about the new release and how he was able to meld the two genres as well as his beginnings as a mandolin player as a member of a 40-piece all mandolin youth orchestra.

WGTE: Toledo Brad Cresswell interviews Mandolin Master: Avi Avital TODAY!!, Monday January 20th. Avital made a splash with his first DG release, an all-Bach album. Now he offers up a boundary-crossing release which explores the intersection between folk and classical, called "Between Worlds." Fresh off his Carnegie Hall recital debut, the Mr. Avital speaks to BC about the new recording.

When Avi Avital arrived on the scene less than a decade ago, he set out to dispel the mandolin's somewhat dowdy reputation. After moving from his native Israel to Italy and then Berlin, he toured with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project and began playing Balkan and Klezmer music. "Between Worlds," his second album on Deutsche Grammophon, is a further effort to bridge the instrument's classical and folk identities. It focuses on new arrangements of classical compositions inspired by folk music, including works by Bartok, Piazzolla, Falla and Monti, among others.

As part of his promo for the album, Mr. Avital stopped by the WQXR: New York studios recently for a Cafe Concert.
Check out the attached video.

"Forgetting borders" is what he calls it in the liner notes of his latest CD. He's mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital and that CD on the Deutsche Grammophon label is, Between Worlds. The disc is a journey with, and a tribute to, those 20th-century classical composers who used music based on folk traditions in their own works. A genre-defying tour of the globe, the program on Between Worlds ranges from Dvořák, Bloch, Villa-Lobos and Piazzolla to folk dances from Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Spain and Cuba.   Listen to Jill Pasternak's conversation with mandolin performer Avi Avital, and music from his new DG CD, Between Worlds, on Crossover, TODAY!! Saturday morning at 11:30 on WRTI, with an encore the following Friday evening at 7 on HD-2 and the All-Classical web stream at wrti.org. 

Recognized by The New York Times for his "exquisitely sensitive playing" and "stunning agility," mandolinist Avi Avital is one of the world's most exciting young musicians. Avital comes to NYC's Carnegie Hall TONIGHT!! January 17 for a unique recital that showcases his deep commitment to building a fresh legacy for the mandolin through virtuosic performance and exciting new repertoire. This concert is part of Salon Encores. The contemporary work on this program is part of My Time, My Music.

Avi Avital is blurring the lines of classical music. On his new DG recording: 'Between Worlds.' With this his second album, Avital's follow up to his Grammy nominated debut album of self-transcribed Bach concertos in 2012, the 35-year-old Israeli mandolinist explores music from Bulgaria, South America, Spain, Greece, Italy and Russia. Check out the 'making of' video of Between Worlds, and READ THE FULL Colorado Public Radio ARTICLE.

Join WRR: Dallas Jim Wellborn each weekday afternoon at 4 for 'Make it or Break It', where you will hear selections from each week's new releases.

Grammy®-nominated mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital has been acclaimed for his "exquisitely sensitive playing" and "stunning agility"by the New York Times, while Israel's Haaretz has described Avital's playing as "everything you never dreamt a mandolin could do . . . truly breathtaking in virtuosity and dedication."

This week's featured Make it or Break It release is:  Avi Avital - Between Worlds.    We want to know what you think of the recording  

Avi Avital recently sat down with WGBH: Boston's Brian McCreath and 'The Bach Hour' for an interview and to sample music from his new Deutsche Grammaphone CD - 'Bach.'  On the program: Sinfonias (Three-Part Inventions):  No. 5 in E-flat major, BWV 791, No. 11 in G minor, BWV 797, and No. 10 in G major, BWV 796 - Till Fellner, piano Motet: Der Geist hilft unrser Schwachheit auf, BWV 226 (translation) - Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor Sonata in E minor, BWV 1034 (orig. for flute, arr. Avi Avital) - Avi Avital, mandolin;  Ophira Zakai, theorbo;  Ira Givol, cello Concerto in D minor, BWV 1052 - Avi Avital, mandolin;  Shalev Ad-El, harpsichord;  Ophira Zakai, theorbo;  Chamber Academy Potsdam Motet: Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir, BWV 228 (translation) - Monteverdi Choir, John Eliot Gardiner, conductor

When you think mandolin, Bill Monroe, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas or Chris Thile frequently comes to mind. But when Avi Avital sat down to play in the WQXR: New York - Café recently, the sounds of a Bach cello suite filled the air. Then came the strong mournful strains of Ernest Bloch's Nigun, a variation on an ancient Hebrew melody written for the violin. READ THE FULL ARTICLE