Composer

One of Israel's most performed composers in Israel and around the world in recent years, Ella was born in Haifa, Israel. Ella Milch-Sheriff began her career as a composer at the very young age of 12. During her military service she composed, performed and interpreted her own songs, and it is during this time that she achieved her first success. After having finished the army, Ella returned to classical music studying composition under the direction of Professor Tzvi Avni and graduating in composition from the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University.

Photo by Dan Porges

Her experience as a singer coupled with her expertise in linguistics, intimate sensitivity and innate understanding of the human voice, naturally drew her to specialize in composing to the voice.

Ella has composed operas, chamber, orchestral and vocal music as well as popular music and solo works. Her music is performed widely through Israel, Europe and the US.

Her newest Opera "Baruchs Schweigen" (Baruch's Silence) was commissioned by the Braunschweig opera house and premiered in February 2010. The opera, based on the true story of the composer and her family, won a huge success in Germany and continues to be performed in Braunschweig during season 2010-2011.

"Night's End Anthem" for Soloists, Chorus and Symphony orchestra commissioned and performed by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under maestro Zubin Mehta in July 2009 at the season's final concert series, is based on Roy "Chiky" Arad's poem.

Her new opera "Flying Lessons" based on Nava Semel's libretto and book was premiered In January 2010 as a co-production between the Cameri theatre, the Israeli Opera and the Beer-Sheva Sinfonietta.

Her first piano concerto was premiered in October 2008 at the opening season concert of the Israel Sinfonietta Beer-Sheva and had its symphonic premiere of the new version 2010 in May 2010 by the Haifa Symphony under Noam Sheriff, played by Michal Tal.

"Can Heaven be Void", a work for Narrator, Mezzo-Soprano & Orchestra based upon the diary of Ella’s father, written during World War II, achieved tremendous success during its premier performances in Israel in 2003. Since translated to a number of languages, the piece was performed numerous times in Europe and US and had powerful reactions everywhere.

Her string quartet "Songs from the Edge", for mezzo-soprano and string quartet, premiered by the Audubon Quartet in the United States in July of 2006, received praise as well as its Israeli premiere which took place in September 2006 in Jerusalem. Since then the work has been performed numerous times in Israel and the US.

Her opera "And the Rat Laughed” based on Nava Semel's book received extraordinary acclaim from the press and public alike, ultimately led to its being programmed in the Cameri Theatre and Israel Chamber Orchestra’s annual series for the 4th season and recently had its 70th performance. The opera toured Poland and Romania and will have new productions in Toronto Canada in November 2009.

In June 2007 her new big scale work "Dark am I..." for singers and instrumental ensemble, based on text taken from "The Song of Solomon" had its successful premiere at the Israeli festival 2007. Since then it is performed world wide.

In 2005, Ella Milch-Sheriff was awarded the prestigious “Israeli Prime-Minister Prize” for her compositional works and the same year, her opera, "And the Rat Laughed” conceived with Nava Semel and based on her book received the “Rosenblume Prize” for achievement.

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