Concerts and Samples

HOME
MEET THE ENSEMBLE
CONCERTS AND SAMPLES
HEBREW
CONTACT US

VIDEO SAMPLES

The Gropius Ensemble

Israel's Interdiciplinary Group

Artistic director: Daniel Cohen

CONCERT LIST

Matan Porat: 'Report to an Academy', for Actor and Ensemble after Kafka

01.01.10 Cameri Theater 12:00 | 05.01.10 Cameri Theater 16:30 | 08.01.10 Kfar Blum, 21:30

Itay Tiran, Narrator | Gropius Ensemble | Daniel Cohen, Conductor

Varese: Octandre

Itay Tiran's Monologue from Soldier's Tale

Stravinky: Soldier's Tale

What's Next?

Matan Porat - 'Kofadam' for Actor and Ensemble after Kafka

'Identity as performance' - by Daniel Cohen

A fruitful collaboration between talent-blessed actor Itay Tiran and the Gropius Ensemble let to the idea of commissioning a piece written for actor and ensemble, which uses the many versatile talents of the renounced young actor and the young ensemble. Thus 'Kofadam' was born. Written by Gropius Ensemble's composer in residence, Matan Porat, the piece is based on Kafka's 'A Report to an Academy'.

In this short and amusing story written by Kafka in 1917, a monkey, the protagonist, tells the story of his capture and metamorphosis into human society.

But from under Kafka's sharp Sinicism and humor serifs very pointiest questions about loss of Identity, belonging to more then one community and the meaning of freedom.

The life of the protagonist is dependent upon his casting off memory and identity; only by achieving the end of that internal identity could actual biological life be maintained. Thus identity becomes a performance. It is not a static essence, a given, but a constantly reenacted self-representation.

Porat's unique musical language and his ability to plunge to great dramatic depth using very basic, almost circus-like material (like the 'concert' written for toy piano and ensemble especially for our Monkey!), makes this musical drama an amusing yet chilling experience

Matan Porat - Gropius Ensemble's Resident Composer

Born in Tel Aviv, 1982, Porat is one of Israel's most prominent composers and pianists. Porat's works were commissioned by such renowned artists as Maria João Pires, Elena Bashkirova, the AICF's Spring Competitions, and Kim Kashkashian, and were premiered at the Montpellier, Schleswig-Holstein and Menuhin festivals to general acclaim. His opera, "Animal Farm", was commissioned by the Tel-Aviv Academy.

Porat studied composition with André Hajdu, Ruben Seroussi and George Benjamin

As a concert pianist Poart performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Irish National Symphony Orchestra, Israel Chamber and Symphony Orchestras and played concerts and recitals around the world in such prestigious veniues as the Carnegie Hall in New York, Auditorium du Louvre and Salle Cortot in Paris, the Irish National Concert Hall, and in the Palacio Carlos V in Granada.

He graduated from the Masters degree in Juilliard School of Music and In the past two years Porat has studied extensively with pianist Murray Perahia in London. Porat won of the Prime Minister’s prize for composition 2009.

The Gropius Ensemble January 2010

Matan Porat: 'A Report to an Academy', after F. Kafka for Actor and Endemble

Igor Stravisnky: Soldiers Tale, in a new hebrew version by Daniel Cohen and Matan Porat

Itay Tiran, Actor and Narrator | Gropius Ensmeble | Daniel Cohen, Conductor

01.01.10 Cameri Theater, Tel-Aviv 12:00

05.01.10 Cameri Theater, Tel-Aviv 16:30

08.01.10 Kfar Blum, Hula Valley 21:30