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GRANTS & PRIZES
Zefunot Culture has made it its goal to promote, support and encourage excelling young musicians.
During 2022, we have awarded grants, prizes and professional training abroad for Israeli young musicians including:
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Tamir Naaman-Pery, cello
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Inbal Brill, soprano. An excelling singer at the “Lyric Opera festival", Ein-Karem 2022
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Ido Beit-Halachmi, tenor. An excelling singer at the “Lyric Opera festival", Ein-Karem 2022
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Halleli Smoly, piano
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Danny Dvorkin, piano. winner of the Tel-Hai International Piano Master Classes 2022
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Yali Zaken, piano. The organization initiated, chose and financed Yali’s participation in the highly esteemed summer course at BUTI - Boston University Tanglewood Institute.
From the thank you letter we received from Yali upon his return to Israel:
“… My experience at Tanglewood not only developed me as a pianist but also shaped me as a musician. In addition to the program, the classes and the masterclasses, I was privileged to make music in the company of motivated young musicians who love music. The experience of learning and working in this intensive environment surrounded by youngsters of my age was a rare and special experience for me, and I feel privileged to have had this opportunity.
“During the course I participated masterclasses, and among them I was fortunate to take a masterclass with the pianist Emanuel Ax. I also performed on a variety of stages, include within the Tanglewood Festival itself.
“In addition, the Tanglewood Festival was a source of inspiration for me, I learned a huge amount from the many concerts that I attended, and I tremendously enjoyed the festival and the experience of being in the vicinity of so many international musicians of the first rank. For a month I was enveloped in music making on the highest level, and thanks to the festival I heard outstanding artists as well as the wonderful Boston Symphony Orchestra…”
Prizes and grants to Israeli musicians within competitions
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“Piano Forever” competition – the organization awarded prizes in different age groups
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Tel-Hai International Piano Master Classes – the organization awarded a prize and a scholarship for participation in a summer course
PROMOTING ISRAELI MUSICIANS ABROAD
Zefunot Culture seizes every opportunity to promote the careers of Israeli musicians abroad.
This year’s initiative of the organization led to the invitation of Guy Mintus, the jazz pianist, to perform at two international festivals in Europe:
Pietro Bonfilio, the musical director of the Morellino Classica Festival 2022, invited Mintus to perform at the festival in Tuscany.
Daniel Ciobanu, the musical director of the #SHARP 2022 festival, invited Mintus to play at the festival in Bucharest.
GUESTS LIST
Zefunot Culture continues to provide a warm home for Israeli and international musicians in the Zefunot Home in Tel Aviv.

Photo by Adi Elbaz
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The Romanian pianist, Daniel Ciobanu, was our guest several times in the past year, while performing a series of concerts. In the concerts organized by Zefunot Culture, Daniel hosted two young Israeli pianists, Danny Dvorkin and Halleli Smoly. Performing with an internationally acclaimed pianist at the onset of one’s professional career provides invaluable insights, deepens and enriches one’s understanding of music, and is a source of inspiration.
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The Zefunot Home hosted several ensembles of young musicians who needed a place for rehearsals and lessons in chamber music.
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Zefunot Home hosted Gon Halevy's Theater Group during the rehearsal phase of two original theatrical projects. The group consists of fifteen young actor-singers. The play “Michael, a Temporary Name” was presented several times at the Zefunot Home. Both projects will be performed in the near future at the “Israeli Cameri Theatre”.
“GRAND(ma) JURY" MEMBER
The chairperson of Zefunot Culture, Dr. Ilana Cohen, was invited to take part on the jury committees of several competitions.
FUTURE PROJECTS
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December 2022 - Zefunot Culture will present an award at the 4th Israeli Harp contest.
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December 2022 - Zefunot Culture will present an award at the Piano Forever competition.
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January 2023 - Zefunot Culture will present awards at the Pnina Salzman competition for Young Pianists.
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January 2023 - Zefunot Culture will host Jazz pianist Guy Mintus at Beit Ha'am in Sde Warburg (details will follow).
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February 2023 - Zefunot Culture will hold a concert for the pianist Tom Zalmanov, who was accepted to participate in the upcoming Rubinstein International Piano Competition. The organization will be happy to host Zalmanov, whom we supported since childhood (details will follow).
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March 2023 - Zefunot Culture will hold concerts featuring pianist Daniel Ciobanu (details will follow).
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March 2023 - Zefunot Culture will present an award to the excelling Israeli pianist at the upcoming Rubinstein International Piano Competition.
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April 2023 - As is our tradition, Zefunot Culture will hold a concert featuring the winner of the Rubinstein Piano Competition in an intimate atmosphere at Zefunot Culture Home.
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Summer 2023 - Zefunot Culture will grant scholarships to talented young Israeli musicians to participate in BUTI and MMB summer courses.
SOME PREVIOUS 2022 EVENTS

3.9.2022
Daniel Ciobanu - Playback
Guest pianist: Halleli Smoly
Beit Ha'am, Hahadarim 20, Sde Warburg
Featuring works by Khachaturian, Chopin, Mahler, Schumann and more

19.6.2022
Yali Zaken - The Young Pianist
Zefunot Culture Home, Dizengoff 288, Tel Aviv
Featuring works by Bach, Schumann and Chopin