The Israel Philharmonic is one of Israel’s oldest and most influential cultural institutions. Since 1936, it has dedicated itself to presenting the world’s greatest music to audiences in Israel and around the world. Founded by the Polish violinist Bronisław Huberman, the Israel Philharmonic represents the fulfillment of his dream “to unite the desire of the country for an orchestra with the desire of the Jewish musicians for a country.” Huberman persuaded first-chair musicians of Eastern European and German orchestras who had lost their jobs as a result of Nazism to immigrate to Palestine. In doing so, Huberman created an “orchestra of soloists,” which continues to act as a dynamic global community for musicians from across the world. Huberman invited Arturo Toscanini to conduct the opening concert, performed at the Levant Fair in Tel Aviv on December 26, 1936.

The Israel Philharmonic is Israel’s premier cultural ambassador and travels extensively throughout the world, particularly to countries where there is little or no Israeli representation. In December 2022, the Israel Philharmonic performed a historic concert in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Culture, celebrating the Abraham Accords. Other historical visits include the orchestra’s first tour to Russia in April 1990 and the first tour to India in December 1960. The orchestra performs in the most important venues and festivals in Europe, the United States, South America, China, and Japan. The orchestra gives more than 100 performances each year in Israel, where concert series are presented in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa.

In 1969, Zubin Mehta was appointed music advisor to the IPO and in 1977 he became its music director. Mehta retired in October 2019 and the IPO named him music director emeritus. Lahav Shani became music director in the 2020–21 season.

The Israel Philharmonic’s 2025 US tour is underwritten by American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic and sponsored by Pfizer.

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