Musicatlas
Music
- Bereshit (Genesis) (1998)
- Mechaye Hametim /Revival of the Dead (1985)
- Psalms of Jerusalem (1995)
Life
Noam Sheriff is one of Israel’s outstanding and most versatile musicians.
He studied composition and conducting in Tel-Aviv (Paul Ben-Chaim), Berlin (Boris Blacher) and Salzburg (Igor Markevitch) and Philosophy at the Jerusalem University.
Since the premiere of his work, Festival Prelude, by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein in 1957 his works have been performed regularly in Israel and all over the world.
In his music one finds an original solution to the fusion between East and West, between the musical elements of the ancient Mediterranean countries and the musical culture of the West. His special art of orchestration and his sensitivity for form manifest themselves in the compositions La Folia Variations (premiered by the Bavarian Radio SO), Trei-Assar (premiered by the 12 Celli of the Berlin Philharmonic), the String Quartet (commissioned by the Library of Congress in Washington), Prayers (premiered by the Israel Chamber Orchestra), Concerto for Violin & Orchestra (premiered by the Bochum SO), Mechaye Ha’metim (premiered by the IPO in Amsterdam) Sephardic Passion (IPO, Placido Domingo, Zubin Mehta, Toledo), Psalms of Jerusalem (Jerusalem Symphony orchestra, Sheriff) among many others.
1989-1995 he has been the Music Director and Chief Conductor of the newly founded Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon-LeZion which had, under his leadership, a success unprecedented in Israeli musical history.
Noam Sheriff is dedicating his time in the last years to conducting his works and other works of the regular orchestral repertory all over the world as well as to composition.
For his musical achievements he won the ACUM prize for the year 1995.
His last big scale oratorio "Psalms of Jerusalem" composed for 4 mixed choirs, soloists and orchestra was performed in December 1995 in the opening concert of the "Liturgica Festival" in Jerusalem to celebrate the 3000 anniversary of the city. The premiere, conducted by the composer, won an outstanding acclaim from audience and critics alike.
Noam Sheriff is Professor for composition and conducting at the Tel-Aviv University’s Rubin Academy of Music. Since July 1998 he was elected to be the director of this academy.
Noam Sheriffs works are published by Peters Edition in Frankfurt.