RONNIE RESHEF IS AN ISRAELI COMPOSER ACTIVE ACROSS ISRAEL AND THE US.
Praised by the 2022 Israeli Acum Prize Committee for ‘a solid personal voice and an original, eloquent, and aesthetic musical language’, Ronnie Reshef is an active composer and educator in various musical genres, including concert music, opera, and music for theater. Recent engagements include commissions from the Israeli Opera, Mivos Quartet, Carmel Quartet, and Air & String Duo, as well as projects with the American Mime Theater, Gesher Theater and performances by Fresh Squeezed Opera, The Israeli Sinfonietta, among others. An alumnus of Mannes College and Manhattan School of Music, Reshef serves as the head of the Cross-Disciplinary Composition Department at The Jerusalem Music and Dance Academy, and is an associate professor at The Ono Academic College. For detailed bio press HERE.
“...witty, lyrical art-song settings...”
“Vivid, elegant… …smart, and gorgeous music”
“Wonderfully beautiful musical moments”
NEWS:
STRINGS ARRANGEMENTS
Having the honor of arranging strings for some of Alon Nachmias’ beautiful songs, tributing the beloved and magical Yam Glass, who was killed on October 7th. The songs will be performed on Carmel Quartet’s concert of December 16th at Annette Studio, along with the premiere of ‘Nowhere To Go’, for string quartet, which I dedicate to Yam’s memory. Details HERE.
ASIAN PREMIERE FOR ‘NIGHT MOMENTS’
Night Moments, for flute and guitar, will be featured in the Asian Composers’ League’s 2024 Festival. Performance will take place on February 6th 2024 in Tokyo, Japan.
NEW PIECE FOR CARMEL QUARTET
Working on a new commission for the fantastic Carmel Quartet, to be premiered in December 2025. Details and tickets await HERE.
US PREMIERE FOR ‘WHEN HE WAS GOOD’
When He Was Good, a full length opera (libretto by Elad Keidan) is scheduled for performances by Fresh Squeezed Opera Company in NYC, June 2024. More info HERE.
COLLABORATION WITH AMT
Thrilled to be collaborating with the American Mime Theatre (NYC) on their newest show DREAMS: 12 VARIATIONS. (Dir. Arthur Yorinks)
RAVE REVIEWS FOR HANOCH LEVIN - THE OPERA
Following rave critics reviews and audiences enthusiasm, ‘Hanoch Levin - The Opera’ is scheduled for additional performances. Tickets HERE.
‘Definitely brilliant… Ridiculous and at the same time heart wrenching’… - YNET review HERE. ‘Beautiful musical inventions - Haaretz review HERE.
HOMAGE TO THE SETTLEMENTS AROUND GAZA
Commissioned by the Israeli Opera, a homage to the settlements and the people of southern Israel, the first line of victims of the Gaza war.
ISRAELI OPERA PREMIERE
‘Hanoch Levin The Opera’ will be premiering in a month! A beautiful show that has been in the making for over three years, in which I share the bill with four other composers, each responsible for several operatic scenes based on Hanoch Levin’s plays. Tickets HERE.
PODCAST INTERVIEW
I had the pleasure of having a one on one talk with one of my favorite people, Dr. Amit Weiner, who hosted me on his great podcast ‘Making It In Music’. We talked about inspiration, music, determination, artistic urge, and went through some of the stops I had along my way. HERE is a link to the show.
RONNIE NAMED JAMD DEPARTMENT HEAD
Starting October 2023 I will be serving as the head of the Cross-Disciplinary Composition Department at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance! Details HERE.
ISRAELI MUSIC FEST PERFORMANCE
‘Childhood Sketches’ to be performed by the Be’er Sheva Sinfonietta in this year’s Israeli Music Festival, on September 21st 2023, at Tamuz Hall in Be’er-Sheva. Tickets HERE.
‘THE NEWS TONIGHT’ PREMIERE
New piece for a large guitar ensemble, additional instruments, live media, and four solo performers, commissioned by Ono Music School and premiered at Annette Studio in Tel-Aviv.
CONTCOMP CONTEMPORARY COMPOSITION CONFERENCE
Gearing up for my May 2023 talk at the Contcomp conference of contemporary composition at the Haifa University.
ACUM PRIZE FOR ‘NIGHT MOMENTS’
Honored and moved to receive the ACUM (Israeli Composers and Publishers) prize for my piece ‘Night Moments’. The judges’ notes:
”… a lyrical captivating piece which presents a solid personal voice and an original and eloquent musical language. The excellent instrumental writing presents a subtle and smart use of new music techniques, which create an accessible and aesthetic musical language. The seven movements of the piece present varied and original textures woven into a solid and effective structure.”
US PREMIERE FOR ‘WHEN HE WAS GOOD’!
Thrilled to announce the US premiere of the opera I have created with librettist Elad Keidan in 2019. The piece will be produced by Fresh Squeezed Opera in New York City in summer 2024!
A NEW PIECE FOR TROMBONE AND PIANO
Working on a new piece for trombone and piano, for the trombone player with the widest soul Nir Erez. Premiere TBA 2023.
‘NIGHT MOMENTS’ PERFORMANCE
‘Night Moments’, for flute and guitar, will be performed at the Tzlilim BaMidbar Festival, by Air & String Duo, who commissioned the piece. December 22st, 2022, details & tickets HERE.
‘PLAYING CARDS’ WITH MIVOS QUARTET
‘Playing Cards’, my new piece written for Mivos Quartet, premiered by Mivos in HaTeiva hall in Tel-Aviv. Tickets HERE.
CHILDHOOD SKETCHES AT ‘DESERT SOUNDS’ FESTIVAL
‘Childhood Sketches’ will be performed by the Israel Sinfonietta Beer-Sheva at Tzlilim Bamidbar festival opening concert.
December 1st, at Sde-Boker. Details HERE.
‘NIGHT MOMENTS’ AT THE ISRAELI MUSIC FESTIVAL
‘Night Moments’, for flute and guitar, will be performed at Anette Studio, as part of the annual Israel Music Festival, by Air & String Duo, who commissioned the piece. December 23rd, details HERE.
‘NIGHT MOMENTS’ PREMIERE
‘Night Moments’, for flute and guitar, will be premiered at the Tzavta Guitar Festival, by Air & String Duo, who commissioned the piece. November 17th, details HERE.
ISRAELI OPERA DEBUT
An evening of Hanoch Levin’s scenes set to music by five different composers. Detalis TBA.
CHILDHOOD SKETCHES AT TAU WINDBAND
‘Childhood Sketches’, for Wind Band, programmed on TAU Windband’s December concert. Details TBA.
NEW VIDEO CLIP: LONGING
LONGING, a stop motion music clip I have created during the first Covid-19 lockdown received the ‘Home-Made’ grant by Mif’al HaPais. Press HERE to watch it.
THE WOLVES
The Israeli premiere of Sarah Delappe’s American play. A Beit-Tzvi production, directed by Lior Soroka, music by me. Details HERE.
NIGHT MOMENTS PREMIERE
Live concerts are back! On May 22nd Air & String Duo is premiering a piece commissioned from me with the support of the Rabinovich Foundation. For concert details look HERE.
NEW PLAY IN GESHER THEATER
Working on music for a new play in Gesher Theater, opens TBA according to covid-19, HaOtzar (The Treasure).
FEATURED IN HAARETZ
A great mention in Haaretz newspaper in a feature presenting composers who also write for theater, film & TV. Click HERE to read.
‘ROMANTIC IN ROME’ PREMIERE
A new song I have composed for Yair Polishuk and Yael Keret for their new program featuring settings of poems of Natan Zach, premieres on the Israeli Music Festival online rendition, and is available for viewing until the end of January HERE.
‘WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW’ PREMIERE
The new piece I have created in collaboration with video artist Yaara Nirel for Modalius Ensemble premieres on Po’em Balev virtual series and on the Israeli Music Festival online rendition, and is available for viewing until the end of January HERE.
ISRAELI OPERA DEBUT
The Israeli opera has commissioned me along with four other composers to create an evening of new operatic scenes to some of Hanoch Levin’s best texts. Premiere TBA in 2021-2022 season.
ENTROPY RECORDING OUT
Entropy, a new piano miniature commissioned by Hagay Yodan for his 60 seconds project, is out - right HERE.
NEW TEACHING POSITION
Starting fall 2020 I will be joining the faculty of the acclaimed Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance as a lecturer of theory and composition.
ISRAELI OPERA COMMISSION
Working on a new miniature opera for a Covid-19 inspired project of The Israeli Opera.
NEW PIECE FOR AIR & STRING DUO
Working on a new piece for Air & String Duo for their 2020-2021 season, sponsored by the Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts.
MODALIUS ENSEMBLE COMMISSION
Working on a new piece for Modalius Ensmble, in collaboration with video artist Yaara Nirel, for their ‘Olam Male’ project.
‘WHEN HE WAS GOOD’:
PERFORMANCE RECORDING!
Click HERE to be directed to the opera’s page.
NEW PIECE FOR PIANIST HAGAI YODAN
Working on a new solo piano piece for Hagai Yodan.
WORKING ON A NEW OPERA
Working on a new opera commissioned by Oded Zehavi and the Israeli Music Festival. Details TBA. POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19.
CHANNEL 8 SERIES
Working on music for a channel 8 series “Mushlamim”. Dir. Yaniv Segalovich. Premieres January 2nd.
NEW PLAY AT GESHER THEATER
Working on the music for a new play at Gesher Theater, premieres December 27th. More information here.
NEW FILM SCORE IN PROGRESS
Working on the score for ‘Boys’, Lior Soroka’s new short film.
AWARDS TO KAITUSH
My score to Kaitush The Child Wizard was nominated for the Israeli Theater Awards. The show had 9 nominations and 4 awards. Here is a music sample from the show.
‘WHEN HE WAS GOOD’
Beautiful preview and review in Ha’aretz news paper (Hebrew). “Outstanding and interesting story… …Many
wonderfully beautiful musical moments”.
‘FANFARE, PRAYER, AND CELEBRATION’
The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra to premiere my ‘Fanfare, Prayer, and Celebration’. June 2020. Details here.
‘WHEN HE WAS GOOD’
A New opera commission by IMVAJ, to be premiered in August 2019 in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.
Aug. 21st, 22nd in Jerusalem; Aug. 25th in Tel-Aviv.
Details here.
