Yizhar Ashdot and the Maestro – Gil Shohat Hosts Yizhar Ashdot

Maestro Gil Hosts Yizhar Ashdot

When refined classical aesthetics meet the unique sound of one of the founding fathers of Israeli rock, the result is an unparalleled musical explosion. Maestro Gil Shohat joins singer-songwriter Yizhar Ashdot for a new, one-time production that deconstructs and rebuilds the concept of “music without borders.” On this evening, Ashdot’s electric guitar and polished sound blend into Shohat’s rich piano and orchestral texture, together bringing new life to the greatest classics of local rock and pop.

At the heart of the program will be Ashdot’s greatest hits, from the tender ballad “The Shadow of a Summer Day” to the love anthem “Our Nights.” The audience will hear “What Will You Say,” the song so strongly associated with him that launched him in 1992, alongside “Every Time I Fall in Love (With You Again),” which grew out of that legendary performance at the Hard Rock Café.

Shohat will weave into these songs two immortal masterpieces that serve as pillars of the classical world: Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik,” with its brilliant lightness and mathematical beauty, as well as movements from Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2—a powerful Romantic work demanding supreme pianistic virtuosity.

The connection between Rachmaninoff’s melodic drama and Yizhar Ashdot’s one-of-a-kind melodies creates a fascinating dialogue in which the guitar and piano become a single voice. This is a musical journey spanning the 18th century and 21st-century rock—an evening filled with passion, quality, and new arrangements that rediscover the power of the work.

Participants:

• Yizhar Ashdot
• Haya Yosheva — double bass
• Nati Cohen — drums
• Polyphony Ensemble
• Gil Shohat — conducting, piano, editing, hosting, and musical direction