LA JOLLA, California — Yoav Talmi, former conductor of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, on Monday, Jan. 11, will discuss orchestras in Israel and the continuing controversy over whether they should play the music of composer Richard Wagner, who was a Nazi sympathizer.
Talmi currently is the permanent guest conductor of the Israel Chamber Orchestra, as well as Music Director of the Quebec City Symphony.
The 7:30 p.m. free lecture at the Lawrence Family JCC will be on a program that also will include musical selections by Talmi performed by four members of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and a brief video of his life featuring music by Gil Talmi.
Prior to the lecture, a special dinner in honor of Talmi and his wife Er’ella, a well known flutist, will be held at the Lawrence Family JCC with proceeds from the $72-per-person ticket to be divided between the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and the JCC’s Samuel and Rebecca Astor Judaica Library.
Yoav Talmi was the 2007 recipient of the prestigious Frank Pelleg Prize from Israel’s Ministry of Culture. He continues to perform as guest conductor throughout the world.
Er’ella Talmi recently retired as a solo flutist and chamber music performer. During several seasons she was principal flute of the Israel Chamber Orchestra. She has led workshops, served as an adjudicator and was the Music Director of several chamber music series. Today she devotes part of her busy schedule to writing children’s books. Both Talmis were AICF scholarship recipients.
Eileen Wingard, a former violinist with the symphony and a music writer for San Diego Jewish World, is chair of the planning committee for the Talmi events. Other committee members include Jackie Gmach, JCC Program Director; Susan Hagler, Astor Judaica Library Program Assistant; David Amos, conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra and a San Diego Jewish World columnist; Shirley Brody, Raquel Cohen, Naomi Crosby, Sigrid Fischer, Lucy Goldman, Sylvia Liwerant, Roz Pappelbaum, Ted Parker, Norene Shenhav, Charlotte Siegel and Cathy Weil.
Dinner reservations may be made by calling Susan Hagler by Jan. 3 at (858) 362-1134.
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Preceding based on material provided by the Lawrence Family JCC.