Playing with the Master

In celebration of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation’s (AICF) 80th anniversary, the Revolution Orchestra was commissioned to create a one-of-a-kind original piece in our unique Re:Play format. This special performance opened the festive gala evening as a moving tribute to the legendary violinist Pinchas Zukerman, a distinguished AICF alumnus who received the foundation’s support at age 14 on his journey to the prestigious Juilliard School in New York.

The piece, “Playing With The Master,” weaves together past and present, imagination and memory. Rare video clips from the documentary Pinchas Zukerman: Here To Make Music (Directed by Christopher Nupen, Allegro Films, 1975) were sampled in both sound and image, transforming them into a new musical instrument – evocative, human, and deeply inspiring – integrated into the original composition.

The music was composed by violinist and arranger Avner Kelmer (Alon Eder & Band), with video art created by artist Nimrod Zin. Together, they crafted a stage experience where Zukerman “plays” once more alongside a new generation of Israeli musicians—a live dialogue between a mythical figure from the past and the contemporary creativity of the present.