Biography

Lahav Shani, music director of the Israel Philharmonic, started his conducting career when he won first prize at the 2013 Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition in Bamberg. In 2018 he became chief conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic. From the 2017–18 season until 2020, he was principal guest conductor of the Vienna Symphony. His performances as guest conductor include concerts with the Bavarian Radio Symphony, London Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Dresden Staatskapelle, Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Bamberg Symphony, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. He also works regularly with the Berlin Staatskapelle, both at the Berlin State Opera and also for symphonic concerts.

His close relationship with the Israel Philharmonic started in 2007, when he performed Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto, and continued in 2010, when Zubin Mehta invited him to join the Israel Philharmonic on its Asian tour as pianist, assistant conductor, and bass player. In October 2013 he was invited to open the season of the Israel Philharmonic. An immediate re-invitation followed for the next two seasons.

Mr. Shani was born in 1989 in Tel Aviv and started his piano studies at age six. He completed his studies at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin. He makes his debut under San Francisco Symphony auspices with this performance.

10/2022