MA A Y ANI

INTRODUCTION
Maayani won international recognition for his entire music written
for the harp, which includes three concerti, chamber music for
various ensembles and harp, thirty six songs for voice and harp,
and solo harp compositions. Most of his harp music was commissioned
by famous harpists such as Nicanor Zabaleta, Kathleen Alister,
Lucile Lawrence, Edna Philips, Susanna Mildonian and Naoko
Yoshino. His music was chosen as set pieces of various International
Competitions in Israel, France, Switzerland, Russia, USA and
Japan.
Maayani sees himself as the successor of his master teacher Paul
Ben-Haim (1897–1984), the founder of the Israel Mediterranean
School and the style of music, and considers his own contribu tion
to the contemporary Israeli and Jewish music thus: Maayani clearly
defines his music as Eastern Mediterranean. He based his music
on biblical cantillations and Jewish traditions, emphasizes version
of the Ashkenazi and Sephardic liturgy, setting them into the perspective
of the Baroque and Classical music forms blended with
Impressionistic harmonies and colours of the Mediterranean trends
(French Impressionistic composers); see the Twelve Fantasies
for Piano in Prelude and Fugue Form, based on Medieval modes
and Ethnic scales – homage to J. S. Bach commemorating the
250th anniversary of his death in 2000. Maayani’s vocal music is
Maayani conducts the Students Orchestra of the Samuel Rubin Israel Academy
of Music at the Clairmont Hall, Tel-Aviv, designed by himself.
Photo: Tel-Aviv University Press
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