September's Child

Ofra Harnoy.

What would you like to say to the young person in the childhood photo of you we published in The WholeNote last month?

Fasten your seatbelt, its going to be a wild ride!

Ofra Harnoy was born in Hadera, Israel on January 31st, 1965. Her mother played the piano and her father played the violin. They travelled a lot during her childhood: Harnoy lived in Israel, France, England and then Canada. She attended an alternative Independent high school in Canada called Aisp, which allowed her to tour while being in school.  She studied with her father, with Vladimir Orloff,  then with William Pleeth, and  later participated in master classes with Mstislav Rostropovich, Pierre Fournier and Jacqueline du Pré.

Harnoy's solo debut with The Boyd Neel Orchestra (at 10) was followed by solo engagements with the Toronto and Montreal Symphony Orchestras. At 17 she was the youngest ever to win an International Concert Artists Guild award, followed by concerto and recital debuts in Carnegie Hall. In 1983 she was named Young Musician of the Year by Musical America magazine. She was 18 years old, and the "wild ride" was already well underway.

About a decade ago, in the midst of a vigorous international career, with her name on dozens of highly-regarded recordings, Ofra Harnoy gave up performing in public.

On September 25th at Toronto's Walter Hall she will make her long-awaited return to the Toronto stage for the opening of Mooredale Concerts season.

What do you think of when you look at that childhood photo?

Now looking at this picture, it looks almost exactly like my daughter!

I don’t actually remember it being taken but it brings back strong memories of playing piano trios with my parents in our living room. I used to play Hayden, Mozart and Beethoven piano trios with my parents. I remember every time there were long rests in the cello part, I would run to the kitchen, open the fridge, pour myself a drink and come back just in time to play my part. It also reminds me that I loved having people over to play chamber music.

Your earliest musical memory?

I remember being moved to tears at the age of 2 ½ when hearing the recording of the Cimarosa oboe concerto.  I can still remember the melody.

Where did hearing music fit into your life as a child?

Listening to music was probably the most influential part of my musical training as a child.  Either listening to multiple recordings, going to classical music concerts or participating in chamber music sessions; music was always part of my life like eating, breathing or sleeping.

Your first instrument?

My first instrument was the cello: my mother had decided that I should play the cello before I was born.  My parents brought home a little quarter-sized cello. No one told me that it was supposed to be difficult so I took to it very quickly.

Your first 'cello teacher?

My father was my first cello teacher and since he was a violinist, he did not teach me proper cello technique. So I learned my own way around the instrument, which somehow worked!

Your first experiences of making music with other people?

When my parents used to have people over to play chamber music, I would sneak out of my bedroom to watch them play, but my first playing experiences were playing piano trios with my parents.

Do you remember when you first performed alone for an audience?

Yes, I was 6 years old, in Israel and I played in the Israeli conservatory and I played a piece by Telemann.

Did you ever think you would do anything else?

I wanted to take all the abandoned and abused animals and all the poor people and create a farm where they could be self sufficient and happy.  That was just a childhood fantasy.

for additional biographical information and a detailed discography please visit ofraharnoy.com

Who is October’s Child?

Already a chamber musician, but not above upstaging his accomplished older brother.

This 3-time JUNO winning pianist grew up on a steady diet of practise, Star Trek, practise, White Spot hamburgers, practise … in a house with five pianos.

Find him in a lounge with some broken hearts and madmen (next month, in Toronto) and — speaking of madmen — playing some Beethoven in November.

Think you know who our mystery child is?

Send your best guess to musicschildren@thewholenote.com.

Please provide your mailing address just in case your name is drawn! Winners will be selected by random draw among correct replies received by September 20, 2011.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS! HERE’S WHAT THEY WON

Allison Meistrich (Toronto) wins a pair of tickets to attend the opening of Mooredale Concerts’ 23rd season, Sept 25 (3:15pm, Walter Hall): Ofra Harnoy makes her return to the Toronto concert stage with artistic director, Anton Kuerti, at the piano. This is their first-ever joint performance and includes Bach’s Suite No. 3 for solo cello, Beethoven’s Cello Sonata in A Major, Op. 69, and the Cello Sonata by César Franck.

Leslie Toy (Toronto) and a young-at-heart friend will be Mooredale’s guests when Harnoy and Kuerti give a one-hour, interactive concert, at Music & Truffles, September 25 (1:15 pm, Walter Hall). While this series seeks to engage younger people (ages 5–15), adults wishing to learn more about music-making are welcome.

Joan McGorman (Ottawa) and Alison McTavish (Oakville) will be among the first to hear Ofra Harnoy Plays Vivaldi. This 5 CD boxed set, released August 2011, is a feast of Vivaldi concerti with The Toronto Chamber Orchestra, conductors Paul Robinson and Richard Stamp: RCA Red Label recordings made between 1988 and 1994. SONY 88697-88412-2

Terry Lander (Toronto) and Patrick Huziak (Toronto) will receive Ofra Harnoy’s Imagine: 19 Beatles classics featuring Harnoy on solo cello accompanied at times by the Orford String Quartet or the Armin String Quartet. These are live performances recorded at Glenn Gould Studio, Flora McRae Auditorium, and St. Timothy’s in 1984 and 1985. SONY 68376

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