Israel’s foremost composer has died

I am distressed to report the sudden death today of Noam Sheriff. We were friends for more than 25 years and shared untold amounts of laughter, dreams and creative conversation. Noam was 83.

Noam Sheriff was the first native-born composer to have a work performed by the Israel Philharmonic and the first to make an impact abroad.

His oratorio Resurrection was performed at the Salzburg Festival. Pasion Sepharadi was premiered by Placido Domingo.

Noam founded and conducted the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon lezion and was the teacher of two generations of Israeli composers.

His own teachers were Paul Ben Haim and Boris Blacher, both steeped in the German tradition.

I will write more later. The news right now is too raw.

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