Berlin Philharmonic reserves place for Israeli violinist
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The Berlin Philharmonic, as part of its Academy Training Programme (formerly the Karajan Academy), has created a Huberman Scholarship – a special place reserved for an Israeli violinist.
Huberman Scholars play with the orchestra in Berlin and on tour, take lessons with section leaders, perform their own chamber music projects at the Philharmonie, and receive a generous monthly stipend.
It is a unique opportunity available only to Israeli violinists up to the age of 27.
The deadline for application is March 31, 2016.
Details here.
Beautiful initiative, symbolizing a new Germany and sealing it with culture.
or racial discrimination?
One does not have to be a Jew to be an Israeli.
But even if the stipulation were that applicants had to be Jewish, yes, that would have been racism, but of a compensational kind, like anti-discrimination politics with preferences for ethnic minority groups.
Plenty of scholarships favour nationals of a certain country/part of the world.
There is nothing remotely “racial” about any of it because neither Israelis nor Jews are a “race”.
Norman, your wording seems to suggest that the creation of this scholarship is something recent. The Huberman-Stipendium has been around for 8 years, since February 2008:
http://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/news/detail/fuer-israelische-musiker-bronis322aw-huberman-stipendium/
That´s right. Actually, the first recipient was announced in 2009. I should know – it was me 🙂 The Orchestra Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker indeed offers a wonderful artistic and educational opportunity. The Huberman Scholarship, however, has not been awarded in a number of years. Auditions are now being held in Israel to renew the program.
And yes – it is open to ALL Israeli violinists, irrespective of religion or ethnic background.
So talent isn’t the deciding factor but being Israeli. Where have we seen this before…
While I’m not completely sure, from what I gathered, talent seems the deciding factor (at least for the Berlin Phil), as there is no “extra” vacancy created for Israeli musicians. The orchestra mandates that candidates must apply for one of the available, “regular” Orchestra Academy violin vacancies, fulfill the same standards and requirements as all other applicants. If successful, their position is then endowed with the Huberman-Stipendium, paid for by private parties (who are of course free to give their own money to whomever they please). Similar in concept to American orchestras with their “chairs” endowed by private benefactors. While these benefactors may stipulate how/to whom their money is allocated, the preferred recipients must fulfill the same requirements for the same existing vacancies as any other musicians applying.
Not for nothing Berlin Philarmonic building on Ben Gurion street. When Bronislav Huberman tried to bring Jewish European musicians to save them from Nazi power and to create Palestina symphony, Ben Gurion wasn’t supportive. “We need carpenters, not musicians”
Whose money created this scholarship? Huberman even didn’t own Strad that was stolen. In today Israel there not much interest of young people to study violin. Israeli orchestras’re on a brink of financial abyss and threat to be closed. And they’re not well paid. Better be a computer specialist.
Maybe Jewish musicians have to move back to Germany again.