The Israel Philharmonic String Quartet
(IPO String Quartet)
Ensemble members * Repertoire
CV in Hebrew

The IPO String Quartet, endowed by the Richter family, was founded over 3 years ago. The Quartet, whose members are violinists Ilya Konovalov (IPO Concertmaster) and Shmuel Glaser, principal violist Dmitry Ratush and cellist Felix Nemirovsky, made its debut in May 2006 at the Spoleto Festival in Italy, while the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was on a concert tour.
The Richter family, who initiated this enterprise, made a generous contribution toward it and took upon themselves to support it for the next ten years.
The IPO String Quartet was established in order to continue the great tradition of string quartets that had been an integral part of the IPO's artistic activity and of the musical scene in Israel.
The Quartet will perform in Israel and abroad in concerts related to the IPO's activities, such as fundraising events and IPO international concert tours, as well as in the Chamber Music Series of the IPO and the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music.
In addition, the Quartet members create and develop a center for chamber music studies at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, where they teach chamber music, and also take part in promoting and teaching chamber music to young musicians in collaboration with the Jerusalem Music Center.
In January 2007, the IPO String Quartet appeared in New York and San Francisco. In summer 2008 the IPO String Quartet participated in one of the most prestigious European chamber music Verbier Festival (Swiss).
In 2009 & 2010 the quartet made two successful tours in the USA and in Latin America.

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Ilya Konovalov, violin	Ilya Konovalov, Concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra since 1997, was born in 1977 in Novosibirsk. He has appeared as soloist with many orchestras throughout Europe and the Far East, among them the Moscow Virtuosi, Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra, the St. Petersburg State Capella Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow State Symphony, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, the Novosibirsk Philharmonic, the Slovak Philharmonic, the American-Russian Symphony, the Israel Sinfonietta Be'er-Sheba and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Ilya Konovalov has played chamber music with renowned artists such as Lars Vogt, Yuri Bashmet, Yuri Gandelsman, Dora Schwarzberg, Matt Haimovitz and Steven Isserlis. Most recently he appeared with new founded “New Jewish Chamber Orchestra “ of Dresden at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. He played as guest concertmaster with the London Symphony, Orchestre National de Lyon and the Kirov Orchestra. Since 2007 he teaches solo violin and chamber music at the Buchman – Mehta School of Music at the Tel Aviv University. Back to top
Shmuel Glaser, violin	Shmuel Glaser was born in 1958 in Vilnius. During his military service he played with the IDF String Quartet. He was a member of the Israel Sinfonietta Be'er-Sheba and in 1987 joined the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Shmuel Glaser is an avid chamber musician and regularly performs in Israel and abroad with leading IPO musicians and soloists. Since 1999 he has been a permanent member of the Tel Aviv Chamber Music Ensemble. Back to top
Dmitry Ratush, Viola	In 1990 Dmitry Ratush and his family left Russia and settled in Israel. In the same year he had begun his studies at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem with world- renowned viola virtuoso and composer Michael Kugel. Graduating from Jerusalem Academy in 1994, Mr. Ratush continued his studies in Dallas, Texas at SMU, Meadows School of the Arts with Dr. E. Schmieder and Professor B. Hustis. Dmitry Ratush, assistant principal violist of the Israel Philharmonic orchestra since 2004, made his debut in New York at the Merkin Concert Hall in 1991. Dmitry, among the leading string players in Israel, was an assistant principal violist of the Israel Camerata Orchestra and a principal violist of the Bern Symphony orchestra in Switzerland. During his service with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra he was a member of the IPO string quartet. From last season Mr. Ratush is taking part in important projects as a guest principal violist in Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Palau del les Arts (Spain) under button of  Maestro Zubin Mehta. Dmitry Ratush is a founding member of the Chamber Ensemble Millennium, at Targ Music Center in Jerusalem. With the ensemble, Dmitry appeared on a number of life broadcasts of  Kol Hamusica, the Israel’ Classical Music Channel and recorded two CDs. Admired by his colleagues and audiences as a chamber music partner he has performed regularly in Israel Festival and Voice of Music Festival in the Upper Galilee. Also Mr. Ratush appears as a soloist and chamber musician all over the world in International Festivals and Chamber Music Series. Back to top
Felix Nemirovsky, Cello	Felix Nemirovsky was born in 1963 in Tashkent. He was Principal Cellist of the Moldavian Opera Orchestra and the Moldavian Radio Chamber Orchestra until 1990, when he immigrated to Israel. Here he joined the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon Le-Zion (1990-91) and was Co-principal Cellist with the Camerata Orchestra (1991-92). In 1992 he joined the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Felix Nemirovsky has participated in chamber music festivals in Israel, France, Germany and South Korea as well as in the Terezienstadt Music Project. He has played chamber music with Yefim Bronfman, Emanuel Ax, Maxim Vengerov, Gil Shaham, Lang Lang and others. He has also appeared in recitals and chamber concerts in Israel and abroad and as a soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Felix Nemirovsky teaches chamber music in Tel Aviv Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. A former member of the Tel-Aviv Chamber Music Ensemble, and the Quattro Plus Ensemble. Back to top

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