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Zubin Mehta Endorsement Letter

Vienna, 20th March 2012

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​'' Bishara Haroni and Yaron Kohlberg are two excellent pianists that form together the Duo Amal. This is not only a wonderful sign of friendship between their people but certainly a musical collaboration to enjoy.

I am happy to recommend the Duo Amal highly for future engagements and recording projects as I am convinced that they will surely make an acclaimed international career.

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My good wishes accompany Bishara Haroni and Yaron Kohlberg. ''

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Melbourne Recital Centre-Sydney Herald Review
24th October 2012

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ISRAELI Yaron Kohlberg and Palestinian Bishara Haroni — young virtuoso pianists known as Duo Amal — bear testament to the capacity of music to transcend conflicts that have proved intractable throughout their lifetime.

While rapidly establishing international solo careers, the duo came together four years ago to instant critical acclaim. This program mixed established works for two pianos alongside contemporary duo compositions from their respective homelands.

Alternately mysterious and playful, an intimacy both physical and musical was created as they sat side by side at the same keyboard for Schubert's Fantasia in F Minor. The perpetual motion and percussive, rhythmic complexity of Karsilama by Israeli Avner Dorman fully tested their individual techniques. A transcription of Prokofiev's Symphony No. 1 Classical was certainly brimming with youthful exuberance but perhaps wanted for a little more of the discipline that Martha Argerich brings to its performance.

Amal (Hope) by Palestinian Samir Odeh-Tamimi uses extended techniques with both players at times directly plucking the strings harp-like, providing relief from the decidedly unhopeful oppression of its otherwise dense and dissonant sound textures. Demonstrating an intense communication between them, the romanticism of Rachmaninov's Suite No. 1 (Fantasy Pictures) was well captured by the beautiful exchange of long melodies, precision in their placement of chords and gossamer fluidity to their accompaniments.

Encores brought more thrilling displays with the Russian Dance from Stravinsky's ballet score Petrushka and the third movement of Mozart's Sonata in D major K448.

 

The Straits Times, Singapore

April 24th 2011

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​  '" The duo programme came close to never taking off, as Bishara only arrived on a flight from Berlin with just three hours to spare. Unperturbed, the duo launched into Shostakovich’s sin-gle-movement Concertino in A minor (Op.94), a congenial work much in the spirit of his Festive Overture and Second Piano Concerto. Their execution was close to perfection with melody closely allied with counterpoint, and driven at dizzying high speeds. "

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"Reunited for the final work, the duo gave a most personalised account of Darius Milhaud’s popular Scaramouche. Getting the notes right was no longer an issue; instead here was the chance to tease out the nuances and delight in the oh-so-naughty bits. The final Brasileira, a samba number, reveled in vivacity and velocity. Why do they play so fast? Simply because they can, and can do so convincingly."

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​Artshub.com Review-Australia
​29th October 2012

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​The audience was bound to be well disposed toward the young pianists who comprise Duo Amal, thanks to their story, known across the world and most recently told by the Australian Jewish News.

 

Duo Amal is clearly like-minded, with the two pianists close friends, something that translates into their performance: synchronised, empathetic and at times, with an edge of humour. It’s important to say that, quite apart from the warm, fuzzy feelings generated by their history, they deserved the enthusiastic applause they were given by this Melbourne Festival audience.

 

First up, with no preamble, was Schubert’s Fantasia in F minor, surely one of the most beautiful works in the piano duet repertoire. Its lyrical sweetness may make it seem easy, but the piano octaves and interweaving parts can be a trap for lesser musicians. Kohlberg and Haroni found the power and showiness necessary for the development of the theme, before the quiet ending, a reprise of the theme.

 

Duo Amal’s perfect synchronicity was certainly needed for the next work, by contemporary Israeli composer Avner Dorman. Karsilama added the inspiration of a Greek dance to the cultural mix as the pianists (now seated at their own instruments) used eye contact and brilliant technique for the fast-moving piece right through to the tarantella-like finish.

 

The pianists stayed across the room from each other for the first of two major works: Prokofiev’s Symphony No.1 (‘Classical’). Arranged by Rikuya Terashima, the work presented a huge challenge to the two pianists who, of course, had to do the work intended for a full orchestra!

 

The first movement contrasted a sparkling pace with a more delicate subject, and in the second settled to a larghetto, with one piano appearing to have the melody (played in octaves) while the other ‘accompanied’. One result was that the delicacy of the harmonisation could be more easily heard and appreciated.

 

A well-known Gavotte then gave renewed resonance to the two-piano work, with the pianists appearing to enjoy the somewhat cheeky interchange. The Finale was very fast, but Kohlberg and Haroni stayed together and echoed each other, as if engaged in enjoyable battle. Loud applause showed the audience enjoyed it too.

 

After interval came Amal (‘Hope’) a piece commissioned by the Duo from Palestinian-Israeli composer Samir Odeh-Tamimi. In contrast to the more melodic works in the program Amal employed techniques such as playing the piano strings directly with the hand or arm, to create sounds of conflict, contrasting with introspection.

 

Technically demanding, the piece showed yet another facet of Duo Amal’s mastery of contemporary works – but it was something of a relief when the pianists turned next to Rachmaninov. His suite no.1 for two pianos, op.5 Fantasie-Tableaux, is in four movements, each of them creating an image, in the way of Romantic program music.

 

The opening Barcarolle was reminiscent of the piano concertos, being resonant and rich in melody and harmony, with almost ethereal beauty in the upper register. La nuit …L’amour had the melody gently articulated and soon surrounded by harmony in the broken chords. Les larmes was gentle but not without technical challenge.

 

With its loud opening a shock, Easter developed into a huge mass of sound that was pure Rachmaninov. It was all too short – rather like the concert itself, as far as listeners were concerned. But Duo Amal obliged with two encores that were exceptionally well received.

 

Rating: 4 ½ stars out of 5

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​Maria Celine Veloso Pil, Multiply Times​

​April ​27th 2011​

 

 When Yaron and Bishara played for their finale number, Darius Milhaud’s “Scaramouch’s suite for Two Pianos” their joie de vivre enchanted everyone in the audience, joining their happiness in the humorous Vif movement, a little sadness in the Módére and dancing the samba imaginatively in their seats in the concluding Braziliera. Music was reflected not only in their facile fingers but in their eyes and souls as they smiled at each other enjoying this clownish music uplifting and delighting everyone in the audience to an unending thunderous standing ovation calling for more and more encores! Surely Yaron and Bishara are young ambassadors of peace and unity for the whole world!

 

Yaron’s and Bishara’s interpretation of Franz Schubert’s “Fantasy in F minor, op. 103” mirrored Schubert’s (the Father of the Lied”) deep emotions. This fantasy of 3 movements allegro moderato, Largo, allegro vivace (with a fugue interspersed) is played with connected movements

 

 

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