More photos at Ada's photo gallery

ADA PELLEG, conductor
Ada Pelleg is Music Director/Conductor of the Israel Virtuosi Orchestra which is comprised of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's principal players and other top ranking principal players and soloists. Under her leadership the ensemble has played and recorded in Israel, London and the U.S.A.

Pelleg also serves as Music Director of the Haifa Music Centre, the Israel International Flute Competition and the "Classic Tzfat" Music Festival. In 2008 she will start her position as music director of the Liturgical Music at the prestigious "Haifa Holiday of Holidays Festival" held annually during Hanukah-Christmas-Ramadan.

A champion of new music, Pelleg initiated the Haifa Competition for Composers. The competition has gained worldwide reputation and premiered numerous compositions. In 2006 she was commissioned by the Brazilian Music Academy to record with the Israel Vistuosi and flutist James Strauss concerti by Brazilian Composers.

In addition to her commitments in Haifa she has recently conducted the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orchestra, the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, the St. Petersburg State Orchestra and the Bach Festival Chorus and Orchestra. Special plans for the upcoming season include recording the Schumann and Brahms piano concerti with pianist Max Barros and the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and concerts with the Israel Philharmonia Singers.

A prolific writer and sought after lecturer Pelleg has published numerous articles in professional publications and has lectured in prestigious institutions, including the School of Architecture at the Israel Institute of Technology, London University SOAS, Middlebury College, Haifa University and Indiana University. Her wide ranging topics include: Properties of Symmetry in Symphonies of Mozart & Tchaikovsky, Morphology of Music, Feministic Liturgy in the music of Hildegard von Bingen, From Ecstasy to Meditation in the music of Igor Stravinsky and The Emergence of Giant Jewish Composers in the 20th Century.

Born in Israel Pelleg received her higher music education in the United States. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Piano Performance from the Chicago Music College and her Master's Degree in Composition from Indiana School of Music in Bloomington, both awarded with distinction.
Her principal conducting teacher was Henry Mazer, Associated Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
She was awarded a conducting fellowship to the Aspen Music Festival, a scholarship to study with Frederick Prauznitz at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and a fellowship to a master class with Max Rudolph at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In addition, she participated in master classes with Gustav Meier, Ghenady Rhozdesvensky, Janos Furst, Charles Bruck, Sergiu Celibidache, Colin Metters and Helmut Rilling.

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"The impressive high level of the ensemble and the conductor was heard from the first stroke of their bows..."
Haaretz, Israel

"a beautiful, velvety performance of two serenades for strings (Elgar&Tchaikowsky) with a proud, lyric line and a triumphant finale"
London Jewish Chronicle

"Ada Pelleg is certainly the most promising talent I have encountered..."
HENRY MAZER, Associated Conductor
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra

"Her Tchaikovsky (Serenade) was breathtaking … Vigorously and swiftly leading to an optimistic finale, with the right phrasing and great vitality..."
ELBE JEETZEL ZEITUNG

"Bravo... a most impressive showcase of Pelleg's skills as conductor and program planner... Pelleg clearly placed the emphasis on spirit and musical integrity... The level of musical cohesion attained was quite astonishing..."
THE COLUMBIA FLIER