“This is not only a wonderful sign of friendship between their people but certainly a musical collaboration to enjoy”
Zubin Mehta
“It’s hard to imagine that these two pianists, so synchronized in their music-making, grew up in such different worlds.”
THE WORLD
“Their concert was testimony not only to their technical virtuosity but to wonderfully participatory musicianship”
BOSTON ARTS DIARY
Biography
“We are not here to offer answers. We are here to offer music—complicated, layered, sometimes dissonant, sometimes breathtakingly in sync. Just like the story we share.” — Duo Amal
Four hands and two distinct musical voices come together in Duo Amal, the piano duo of Yaron Kohlberg and Bishara Haroni.
Taking its name from the Arabic word for hope, Duo Amal reflects the pianists’ shared belief in the transcendent and connective power of music. Their collaboration is rooted in exceptional musical compatibility and a deep, long-standing friendship that has shaped both artists for over 25 years.
“It’s hard to imagine that these two pianists, so synchronized in their music-making, grew up in such different worlds,” writes The World. As The Sydney Morning Herald notes, “Duo Amal is clearly like-minded, with the two pianists close friends, something that translates into their performance: synchronised, empathetic and, at times, with an edge of humour.”
About Duo Amal
The International concert pianists, Yaron Kohlberg (and Bishara Haroni, met in Jerusalem.
At Yaron's suggestion, they joined forces in 2008 for a concert at the New Opera House in Oslo. Following the great success of the concert and the enthusiastic response of the audience, which included many musicians and diplomats, Yaron and Bishara decided to form a permanent Israeli-Palestinian piano duo.
They performed in Europe, USA, Asia, and also toured the Far East to critical acclaim including recitals at the Wiener Konzerthaus, The Beijing concert Hall, the Beethoven festival in Bonn, Auditorio San Pedro in Monterrey, and at various venues in Germany, France, Belgium, Finland, India, China, the United States and Israel.
They have a large and varied repertoire ranging from the baroque to the modern period, and including works by Israeli and Palestinian composers. The duo aims to show that music-making at the highest level can transcend political and national differences. On the personal level, Bishara and Yaron have become close friends.
