Vermont Mozart Festival has formally announced the appointment of a new Artistic Director, international sensation Gil Shohat. Described by Forbes magazine as “the most important and influential personality in classical music in Israel,” Shohat is the composer of nine large-scale symphonies, ten concertos for various instruments, three operas, various oratorios, cantatas, solo vocal pieces, and dozens of chamber and piano pieces, as well as the performer of more than 80 concerts a year worldwide, both as a conductor and pianist. He has been performing with the Festival every year since 2007. In 2011, Shohat will succeed the Festival’s first Artistic Director, Melvin Kaplan, who founded the Festival in 1974. Under Kaplan’s artistic direction, the Festival grew from a 10-concert series focusing solely on Mozart to a 19-concert festival experience highlighting the pantheon of classical composers and bringing in international-caliber artists from around the globe.
“The Vermont Mozart Festival creates a very special feeling that I think differs from Marlboro or Tanglewood or Tokyo or other festivals where I have performed,” said Shohat. “There is a greater sense of community—of a warm and human connection between the audience and the musicians. The open air creates an atmosphere that is very close, very united, and very family-like. I just love it.” Over his four years performing as a guest conductor and soloist with the Festival, Shohat also became impressed by the commitment of the musicians of the Vermont Mozart Festival Orchestra. “The same musicians come to perform every summer, not only from Vermont but from all over the United States, really giving 180% of themselves in these concerts. This is very much present in rehearsals. It is a great experience. I’m not usually that full of compliments, but the Festival deserves it.” Shohat’s obvious enthusiasm, paired with his artistic distinction, only bodes well for the continued excellence of the Festival as it was conceived by Melvin Kaplan 39 summers ago. Kaplan will continue as Artistic Director Emeritus.
Shohat’s program will present the entire selection of Beethoven’s string quartets, to be performed by six world-renowned ensembles. The season will showcase several additional selections from Beethoven, as well as works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Gershwin and, of course, Mozart, including several works the Festival has never previously performed. Possible guest appearances for the season include acclaimed artists David Garret, Rachel Barton Pine, Alain Lefèvre, Bracha Kol, and Dorel Golan.
