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The Israeli conductor, Avi Ostrowsky, was interested in music during his childhood, but was already 17 before he took up music professionally. In 1961 after his military service he graduated from the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel-Aviv having studied composition under Professor Mordechai Seter and conducting under Maestro Gary Bertini.
Then followed a period when Avi Ostrowsky worked extensively in Israel with all the leading orchestras of Israel, including the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Chamber Ensemble. After two years at the Vienna Academy of Music he graduated in 1968 having studied under Professor Hans Swarowsky. During this period he also visited Sienna (Italy) to work with Maestro Franco Ferrara.
In May 1968, Avi Ostrowsky won the first prize of the Nicolai Malko International Competition for Young Conductors in Copenhagen, after which he has been invited to conduct many orchestras all over the world.
In 1968 Avi Ostrowsky became the Music Director and Permanent Conductor of the Haifa Symphony Orchestra until 1972. In 1970 he took upon himself after short notice to replace Sigi Stadermann, the permanent conductor of the Original Abu-Gosh Music Festival, in conducting the whole concert series of that year. In 1970 he founded The Israel Kibbutz Orchestra, and was their music director until 1974. In 1973 he founded, at the request of the government, the Sinfonietta of Beer-Sheva, where he was Music Director and Chief Conductor until 1978. That year he became the Chief Conductor of the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra until 1984 and in 1989, he became the Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Norwegian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Oslo until 1993.
On his frequent visits to Europe each year Avi Ostrowsky has conducted the most prestigious orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra of London, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Hungarica, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the BRT/RTB Radio Symphony Orchestra in Brussels, amongst many others. He performed in England, Holland, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Romania, Sweden, Norway, Italy and USA, conducting symphony concerts as well as operas. He has toured with different orchestras around the world, including a concert tour with the London Philharmonic Orchestra to Australia.
Avi Ostrowsky has recorded a number of works including Igor Stravinsky - Rite of spring and Petroushka, Gustav Mahler - symphonies, Berlioz - Symphony Fantastique, Schubert - symphonies, etc.
For the 1998-99 Season Maestro Avi Ostrowsky was again appointed the Music Director and Chief-Conductor of The Israel Kibbutz Orchestra until 2003. |
