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The Israeli-born Danish violinist, conductor, writer and blogger, Jonathan Ofir, studied at Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts in Givatayim He continued his violin studies at the Sweelinck Conservatorium Amsterdam, specialising in Baroque, graduating in 1997. He received further training in conducting with Jesper Nordin (2012).
Jonathan Ofir was concert-master and soloist with Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra (Director: David Shemer; since 1991), 2nd concert-master of Les Talens Lyriques (Director: Christophe Rousset; 1992-1996), violinist in several international Baroque ensembles such as Ensemble Baroque de Limoges (Director: Christophe Coin), Drottningholm Baroque Orchestra, Baroque Orchestra Bremen, Nederlandse Bachvereniging (Director: Jos van Veldhoven), Concerto Copenhagen (Director: Lars Ulrik Mortensen), etc.
In 2003 Jonathan Ofir created the Israeli-Danish Baroque Ensemble Musicaviva, which was repeatedly broadcast by DR. In 2006, he founded Copenhagen Soloists, a soloistic vocal and instrumental ensemble which specialises in Baroque music, of which he is Musical Director/Conductor. In 2011, as conductor of the ensemble and musical director of performances of Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea in collaborating with the Opera Akademiet and later J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor BWV 232, which was also broadcast by DR at the P2 Concert.
In recent years, a neurological syndrome has prevented Jonathan Ofir from playing violin, and naturally he continued to conducting on the podium, this time without violin in hand. He received support from the Dansk Kapelmesterforening (Danish Conductors Society) in 2011, and has since invested time for further training with several leading conductors, especially Jesper Nordin, followed by Paul Hillier and John Eliot Gardiner, as well as courses with Peter Hanke and Jan Scheerer - all in order to improve his conducting technique. In 2017, he has returned to playing the violin with some medical help as well as adjustments in technique.
Releases: Solo CD "Bach to the Future" with works by Biber, J.S. Bach, Prokofiev and his own compositions (2003).
Jonathan Ofir currently lives in Copenhagen, Denmark. He writes regularly for Mondoweiss. Other skills: Fish, mushroom hunter, chef (specialty in chocolate fondants). |
