American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Launches Global Initiative to Inspire Hope through the Power of Music

Since its founding in 1936 as the Palestine Orchestra by famed Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman to save the lives of Europe's Jewish musicians from the Holocaust, the IPO has stood for humanitarian principles and artistic freedom and has been a global thought leader in promoting peace at home through music and the arts.

"The orchestra has been performing throughout Israel for the last several months to bring hope to the country through the power of music," said Jennifer Hughes, AFIPO's CEO. "When we thought about how to extend that message globally, we realized that Hatikvah -meaning hope- could be the basis of a worldwide message, and the Global Hatikvah initiative was born."

Marking its 20th anniversary year as the national anthem of Israel, Hatikvah, meaning hope, is a hymn celebrating nationhood and all that Israel means as a place of safety and strength to Jews across the world. Through the Global Hatikvah (https://globalhatikvah.org/) website, citizens worldwide are invited to record themselves singing in harmony with a special new arrangement of Hatikvah, composed specifically for a global virtual choir. On May 14, AFIPO will share the final video – a symphony of voices inspiring hope.

The new arrangement of the beloved anthem has been created by Maxwell Karmazyn, an ASCAP Award-winning composer, whose credits include Dreamworks' Trolls, CBS' Bull and Blue Bloods.

"I took inspiration from the Bernardino Molinari arrangement, which was prepared for Israel's founding in 1948, and is considered the standard arrangement in most Israeli performances. Because Global Hatikvah was conceived first as a mixed media project combined with a mechanism for global engagement, I approached the piece in a cinematic/film music style, with the goal to tell a story. The arrangement begins sparsely, as one voice after another comes in to result in a massive and glorious finale with hundreds—hopefully thousands—of singers. The symbolism there is that Hatikvah (hope) for Israel begins individually, but when all brought together, shows us how anything is possible through music."

Notable performances of Hatikvah include Leonard Bernstein's 1967 concert on Mount Scopus in honor of Israel's triumph in the Six-Day War, Barbra Streisand's rendition for The Stars Salute Israel at 30 in 1978, and the 2020 performance at the Orchestra's first-ever global gala concert hosted by Helen Mirren. Since October 7, the IPO has performed frequently for the injured in hospitals and for displaced children and families in evacuation centers, as well as performed special war relief concerts for children and their families at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium in Tel Aviv.

About the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) is one of the world's foremost orchestras and Israel's greatest cultural ambassador. Founded in the years preceding the Holocaust to save the lives of Europe's preeminent Jewish musicians, the IPO unifies diverse audiences around the world through shared, transformative artistic experiences.

In the United States, Canada, and Israel, we are deeply invested in enriching communities with world-class classical music programming that transcends borders. Through our innovative education, community engagement, and social justice programs, we touch the lives of more than 40,000 children, families, and teachers annually. Guided by the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (repair of the world), the IPO serves audiences of all walks of life, especially underprivileged and underserved communities, and promotes openness, tolerance, and mutual respect through music making.

About the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (AFIPO) supports the world-class Israel Philharmonic, enabling them to enrich diverse audiences around the world in its role as Israel's preeminent cultural ambassador.

About the Canadian Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Canadian Friends of the Israel Philharmonic (CFIPO) is dedicated to supporting the mission and music of the Israel Philharmonic through fundraising and promotional initiatives across Canada.

Media Contact
Melissa Stavenhagen, Hiltzik Strategies 
[email protected] 

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