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Israel Kastoriano - Margalit Gafni - Enrique Maltz

 

Flutist Margalit Gafni was born in Kibbutz Gazit, Israel. She made her solo debut at the age of 16 with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. The success of her debut resulted in a European tour as soloist with the Kibbutz Chamber Orchestra. She has since toured Europe several times as a soloist to wide critical acclaim. Margalit Gafni has performed chamber music in South America, the USA, Israel and Canada. She has appeared at such major music festivals as Spoleto; Shawnigang, Canada; Tanglewood; the Lancaster Festival; the Columbia International Festival; Schleswig Holstein; Aspen Festival; 4ta. Cimeira Internacional do Musica, Lisbon and in Israel at Ein Gev and Kfar Blum.

Ms. Gafni studied at Yale University, the Juilliard School of Music and Indiana University where she was awarded the Artist Diploma. In 1987 she founded the Chamber Arts Trio comprised of flute, cello and piano. This trio was based in New York and played in the Metropolitan area, later giving performances throughout the USA and South America.

Ms. Gafni returned to Israel in 1990 founding the Opus 3 Trio in the same year. She has, in addition, performed with the major orchestras and prominent chamber music groups of Israel.

Ms. Gafni won First Prize in the Francois Shapira Competition for the best artist in Israel and the Israel Broadcasting Authority's soloist competition. She received the Amstrong Award and was featured on PBS National Radio, USA as well as the Bonn Television Network. A recent performance with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Zubin Mehta was recorded on video by the ZDF, German Television and broadcast worldwide.

Since 1988 Ms. Gafni has been the Principal Flute of the Israel Symphony Orchestra. She has been invited to give master classes in the USA, Spain and Argentina.

 

Cellist Enrique Maltz was born in Argentina. At age fifteen he was principal cellist of the Orchestra Juvenil in Argentina and three years later was offered a scholarship to study at the Rubin Academy of Music in Israel.

After receiving the America-Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarship in 1980 Mr. Maltz went to the USA where he first studied at Yale University with Aldo Parisot and later at Indiana University with Janos Starker. He was principal cellist of the Indiana Symphony Orchestra.

Together with his wife Margalit Gafni he has toured as a chamber recitalist in the United States, South America and Israel. In 1985 he became a member of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. Since 1988 Enrique Maltz has been a member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mr. Maltz has participated in numerous music festivals; Schleswig Holstein, Tanglewood, Shawnigan, Columbia International and Spoleto.

In 1998 Mr. Maltz was invited by Maestro Philippe Entremont to play as principal cellist with the Japan Virtuosi Orchestra. He has given master classes in Spain and Argentina.

 

Pianist Israel Kastoriano was born in Istanbul, Turkey, where he began his piano studies. He subsequently studied at the Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem, Israel and the Mannes College of Music, New York, where he graduated with highest honors in both piano and orchestral conducting.

During his seven year stay in the USA Mr. Kastoriano appeared in solo recital and chamber music concerts for radio and television as well as at the Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. He was assistant conductor to Mr. Leon Barzun at the National Orchestral Association. At the Tanglewood Festival he won first prize in piano with citations from Gunther Schuller and Seiji Ozawa. He was also a finalist in the Bolzano piano competition, Italy.

Mr. Kastoriano is pianist and keyboard player of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and as such has collaborated with great conductors including Zubin Mehta, Leonard Bernstein and Kurt Masur. He regularly tours with the orchestra.

In addition to the Opus 3 Trio Israel Kastoriano is active as a solo and chamber musician, appearing regularly with the very best of Israeli and foreign musicians. He performs in a four-hand piano duo with Anat Sharon and has also performed extensively with the cellists Michael Haran and Michel Strauss, flutist Yossi Arnheim, violinists Yigal Tuneh and Gerard Poulet, and clarinetist Richard Lesser, to name but a few. He has participated in the Kfar Blum Music Festival, Israel.

As well as the recordings he has made with the Opus 3 Trio Mr. Kastoriano has recorded an album of solo piano music by Mozart. He regularly tours South and North America, Europe and Turkey as a chamber musician and recitalist.

His involvement with voice accompaniment brought him into collaboration with the New Israel Opera. He received a special invitiation from Placido Domingo to serve as principal pianist and assistant conductor at the singing competition in Madrid. He was also the principal pianist at the Leonard Bernstein singing competition in Jerusalem, Israel.