In April, the University of Iowa will host a week-long festival featuring music by living Israeli composers in collaboration with the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance (JAMD) as part of the 2023 Provost’s Global Forum, "Festival of Contemporary Music from Israel.” 

This festival brings to campus the world-famous Meitar Ensemble, and its conductor, Pierre-Andre Valade. This group, along with the University of Iowa ensembles (jazz, orchestra, wind ensemble, and Center for New Music), will present nine public concerts and a WorldCanvass program, to be held in the Concert Hall of the Voxman Music Building on the University of Iowa campus. 

“This is the largest and most comprehensive festival of music by living Israeli composers outside of Israel, a week-long event that is the first of its kind,” said David Gompper, professor of composition in the UI School of Music and organizer of the festival. “The series of events highlights performances of recent compositions by more than 30 Israeli composers to the general public, including lectures, panel discussions, and masterclasses with students at the University of Iowa. The Meitar Ensemble will work with small and large ensembles in their final preparation for each performance. Additionally, there will be a close collaboration between UI School of Music students and the students in the Tedarim Ensemble at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, who will together premiere a composition by Professor Amnon Wolman.” 

All concerts are free and open to the public.  

View Forum details and full schedule

This festival is made possible through the generous support and contributions from the Stanley-University of Iowa Foundation Support Organization, UI International Programs, the UI School of Music, the Hank Feir Excellence in Music Fund, Kay and Mace Braverman, the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, Hancher Auditorium, and a UI Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI) Major Conference Grant. 

This festival is hosted by the UI Center for New Music, with support from UI International Programs and the UI School of Music. 

The Provost’s Global Forum is the premier annual event on campus focused on international and global issues. The forum brings together experts from the faculty and leading voices from a variety of areas to raise awareness about and contribute to debate on the foremost issues in globalization that face us today. 

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Daniel Vorwerk in advance by email at daniel-vorwerk@uiowa.edu or call 319-467-1619.

International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.