Just in: Jerusalem calls off big-name festival

Elena Bashkirova, who is married to Daniel Barenboim, has been forced to cancel this year’s Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival because of Covid restrictions, chiefly on incoming artists.

Amont the artists affected are Gidon Kremer, Yefim Bronfman, Mohamed Hiber, Andras Schiff, David Kadouch, Mihalea Martin, Dorothea Röschmann, Anna Samuil and Yamen Saadi. Staged in the multicultural YMCA of west Jerusalem, it is one of my favourite music events.

Really sad that Covid crushed it.

Elena writes:
With deepest regret, we announce that this year’s Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival, which was due to take place from 31 August to 4 September, has been cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions. Sadly, it is not possible for us to welcome the artists in compliance with the current quarantine regulations and for the first time in our twenty-four-year history we are obliged to cancel the Festival. We know how painful this is for the artists who are now unable to perform, for our audiences who were looking forward so much to this Festival, and for us, the Festival team who were working so hard to realise these wonderful concerts despite the ongoing health crisis. We look forward very much to seeing you all next year, our dear musicians and audiences.
Elena Bashkirova, Musical Director
Yeheskell Beinisch, Chairman
Uri Dror, Producer
and the JCMF team.