JERUSALEM SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA

Julian Rachlin, conductor

Founded in 1938 as part of the Broadcasting Service, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (JSO) has played a key role in has played a crucial role in developing the cultural sphere and musical life in Israel. Since its beginnings, the orchestra has supported several generations of musicians and continues to promote the work of contemporary Israeli composers. Over the years, it has worked with many leading international artists, including Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Otto Klemperer, Arthur Rubinstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Pablo Casals, Isaac Stern, Krzysztof Penderecki, Mischa Maisky and Yefim Bronfman.

For many years, the JSO reached households across the country through its weekly national radio broadcasts. Today, it enjoys international recognition, performing regularly across Europe, the United States, Latin America and Japan. The orchestra has appeared on major stages such as the Musikverein in Vienna, the Cologne Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall in New York. In 2009, it took part in the Leipzig Bachfest with Mendelssohn’s Elijah. In 2015, UNESCO invited the JSO to perform Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13, Babi Yar, in a commemorative concert in Paris. In 2021, it became the first Israeli orchestra to perform in the United Arab Emirates.

The JSO now embraces a broad and open-minded approach to programming. Alongside the core symphonic repertoire, it explores new concert formats, launches educational projects, and fosters intercultural dialogue through music. It also supports a youth network, the Jerusalem Music Ambassadors, sharing its passion for orchestral music with a new generation.