The Israel Defense Forces Orchestra (; Tizmoret Tzahal) is the main musical ensemble of the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
(IDF). It comprises musicians and singers who have passed the auditions before enlistment into the IDF, mostly in
compulsory service. It performs at military ceremonies, official visits, and honor guards, as well as various non-official community events.
History

The Israel Defense Forces Orchestra was established in 1948 as a part of the newly formed Israel Defense Forces. It was formed out of four orchestras: The Alexandria Division Band, The
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
Band, The
Artillery Corps
Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
Band and The
Givati Brigade
The 84th "Givati" Brigade () is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade formed in 1947.
During the 1948 war, it was involved in capturing Palestinian villages in operations ''Hametz'', ''Barak'', and ''Pleshet''.
Before Israel's 2005 ...
Band. The orchestra's first conductor was Izhak Muse, a new immigrant from the Soviet Union who played wind instruments. Muse was a graduate of a prestigious military orchestra academy in Leningrad and immigrated to Israel in January 1949. On 4 May 1949, the band participated in the second annual IDF parade celebrating Independence Day, but the crowd that filled the streets blocked the parade route and forced the parade to stop. The event was later nicknamed "The March That Did Not March" and led to the creation of the first Israeli Commission of Inquiry. After several months,
Shalom Ronli-Riklis
Shalom Ronli-Riklis (; 24 January 1922 – 27 January 1994) was an Israeli musician, music teacher, and the conductor of the IDF Orchestra.
Biography
Shalom Ronli-Riklis was born in 1922 in Tel Aviv. As a young man, Riklis learned to play the ...
, the former conductor of The Brigade Orchestra, took over as conductor of the orchestra. Ronli-Riklis greatly expanded the orchestra's repertoire from modern to classical music and light music during his tenure as conductor, a position he held until 1960. From 1953 to 1955, renowned Israeli composer
Noam Sheriff
Noam Sheriff (; 7 January 1935 – ) was an Israeli composer, conductor, educator, and arranger.
Noam Sheriff was Artistic Director of the Kibbutz Chamber Orchestra, Music Director of the Israel Rishon LeZion Symphony Orchestra, Professor of Co ...
served as Ronli-Riklis's assistant.
Izhak Graziani
Izhak Graziani (; August 4, 1924 - July 7, 2003) was an Israeli music conductor.
Biography
Izhak ("Ziko") Graziani was born in Ruse, Bulgaria, where he studied music and conducting. In 1948, he immigrated to Israel and joined the IDF Orchest ...
, a long-time
arranger
In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestrat ...
, composer, and trumpet player in the orchestra, became conductor in 1962. Three months before he died, in 2003, Graziani retired. He was replaced by Lt. Col.
Michael Yaaran, who conducted the orchestra until his own retirement in 2013. Major Noam Inbar became the conductor On 29 July 2013 and was succeeded by Rom Shamir on 25 April 2018. In 2018, the band received an
honorary doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
from
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University (BIU, , ''Universitat Bar-Ilan'') is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel's second-largest academic university institution. It has 20,000 ...
.
List of Israel Defense Forces Orchestra Directors of Music
Characteristics
The unit is made up of soldiers with musical experience that wish to serve in it. Its base is located in
Ramat Aviv
Ramat Aviv Alef or Ramat Aviv HaYeruka, and originally plainly Ramat Aviv (, ''lit.'' Spring Heights), is a neighborhood in northwest Tel Aviv, Israel.
History
Ramat Aviv was founded in 1950s following the great influx of immigrants from Eastern ...
,
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
. In addition to the main orchestra, the IDF has a rabbinical choir and other military bands. The difference between the IDF Orchestra and the other bands (including the choir) is that the other bands are only for entertainment and morale, while the orchestra is also a ceremonial unit. Additionally, while the other military bands belong to the
Education and Youth Corps
The Education and Youth Corps (, ''Heil HaHinuh VeHaNo'ar'') is a corps of the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) Personnel Directorate responsible for the education of IDF personnel. Its mission purpose it to instruct and develop "national values" amo ...
, the IDF Orchestra belongs to the Regime and Discipline Branch—both are under the
Manpower Directorate
The Israeli Personnel Directorate (, ''Agaf Koakh Adam'', abbreviated to AKA), formerly called the Manpower Directorate and the Human Resources Directorate, is the Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively ...
, which is responsible for Israel's state and military ceremonies.
Among the many functions of the orchestra, its main activities are performing at graduation courses in
military training bases, official visits by heads of state and military personnel, and official ceremonies (such as the torch-lighting ceremony held each year on
Mount Herzl
Mount Herzl ( ''Har Hertsl''), also ''Har ha-Zikaron'' ( lit. "Mount of Remembrance"), is the site of Israel's national cemetery and other memorial and educational facilities, found on the west side of Jerusalem beside the Jerusalem Forest.
I ...
,
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
to celebrate
Israel's Independence Day).
The unit's symbol is a
harp of David placed between two trumpets amalgamated with
olive branch
The olive branch, a ramus of '' Olea europaea'', is a symbol of peace. It is generally associated with the customs of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, and is connected with supplication to divine beings and persons in power. Likewise, it is f ...
es. When the orchestra is not performing, its musicians wear the
standard uniform (olive green) with a musician's pin above the left pocket. The ceremonial uniform, worn in official ceremonies, is a standard uniform together with a red belt, a red string (worn over the right shoulder), a ceremonial cap stamped with the band's symbol over a red background, and a larger musician's pin. The IDF Orchestra is the only IDF unit that has two pins identical in design but different in size.
Activities
Parades
In parades, the orchestra musicians are always on their feet, and in most parades they march across the parade ground. In parades that are not part of state ceremonies, the orchestra is the first military force to enter the parade ground, immediately followed by the other forces. In such parades, most commonly featured in the conclusion of military courses, the band is led by a
drum major whose job is to direct the orchestra during the march, signal the turns, and mark the beginning and end of the music.
In most state parades the band does not march, but rather stands with a military honor guard beside a red carpet to welcome the person of honor.
However, some extremely large state parades include marching (e.g. large receptions held at Israel's
main international airport).
The instrumentation at such parades comprises:
piccolo
The piccolo ( ; ) is a smaller version of the western concert flute and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. Sometimes referred to as a "baby flute" or piccolo flute, the modern piccolo has the same type of fingerings as the ...
,
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites.
The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, ...
,
clarinet
The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell.
Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...
,
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...
(alto and tenor),
bassoon
The bassoon is a musical instrument in the woodwind family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuosity ...
,
french horn
The French horn (since the 1930s known simply as the horn in professional music circles) is a brass instrument made of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. The double horn in F/B (technically a variety of German horn) is the horn most o ...
,
trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...
,
trombone
The trombone (, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's lips vibrate inside a mouthpiece, causing the Standing wave, air c ...
,
baritone horn
The baritone horn, sometimes called baritone, is 3 or 4 valved tenor-voiced brass instrument in the saxhorn family.Robert Donington, "The Instruments of Music", (pp. 113ff ''The Family of Bugles'') 2nd ed., Methuen, London, 1962 It is a pist ...
,
sousaphone
The sousaphone ( ) is a brass musical instrument in the tuba family. Created around 1893 by J.W. Pepper & Son, J. W. Pepper at the direction of American bandleader John Philip Sousa (after whom the instrument was then named), it was design ...
(marching tuba),
snare drum
The snare drum (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often u ...
,
bass drum
The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter usually greater than its depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. The head ...
, and
cymbals
A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sou ...
.
Performances
The orchestra also performs in public, not only in Israel but sometimes abroad to perform for events like ceremonies, the arrival of world leaders, etc. These performances include a rich repertoire, comprising classical music for concert bands, popular music, Israeli songs, and marches. The band regularly performs with leading artists of
Israeli music
The music of Israel is a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish music traditions that have come together over the course of a century to create a distinctive musical culture. For almost 150 years, musicians have sought original stylistic elements ...
. Among others, the orchestra has performed with
Yehoram Gaon
Yehoram Gaon (; born December 28, 1939) is an Israeli singer, actor, director, comedian, producer, TV and radio host, and public figure. He has also written and edited books on Israeli culture.
The son of Sephardic Jewish parents—a Bosnian f ...
,
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza (; 19 November 1957 – 23 February 2000) was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as " the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-sop ...
,
Ilanit
Hanna Dresner-Tzakh (; born 17 September 1947), known by her stage name Ilanit (, ), is an Israeli singer. She was one of Israel's most popular singers from the late 1960s to the 1980s, both as a soloist and in the duo Ilan & Ilanit. Ilanit also ...
,
Yardena Arazi
Yardena Shulamit Arazi (; born Yardena Finebaum; September 25, 1951) is an Israeli singer and entertainer. In 2008 Arazi was named the most popular Israeli singer of all time at the 60th Independence Day celebration.
Early life
Yardena Fineba ...
,
Harel Skaat
Harel Skaat (; born 8 August 1981) sometimes known by the mononym Harel is an Israeli singer and songwriter. He represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Milim" ("", "Words").
Skaat has been singing and performing in publi ...
,
David Broza
David Simon Berwick Broza (; born September 4, 1955) is an Israeli singer-songwriter. His music mixes modern pop with Spanish music.
Biography
David Broza was born in Haifa, Israel. His father was an Israeli–British businessman of German-Dutch ...
, Kobi Aflalo,
Rami Kleinstein
Rami Kleinstein (; born 10 November 1962) is an Israeli singer and composer.
Early and personal life
Kleinstein was born in New York City to a family of Ashkenazi Jews in 1962. In 1968, they immigrated to Israel. After a year, the family moved ba ...
.
Ever since the 2000s, the orchestra performs annually at the
Rishon LeZion
Rishon LeZion ( , "First to Zion") is a city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area.
Founded in 1882 by Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire who were ...
Festival on
Sukkot
Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths, is a Torah-commanded Jewish holiday celebrated for seven days, beginning on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei. It is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals on which Israelite ...
has become a tradition.
See also
*
Orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
*
Marching band
A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who play while marching. Historically they were used in armed forces and many marching bands remain military bands. Others are still associated with military units or emulate a military sty ...
*
Military band
A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind instrument, wind and percussion instruments. The conducting, conductor of a ...
Notes
References
External links
The official website of the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra
{{authority control
Israeli orchestras
Israel Defense Forces
Israeli military bands
Ramat Aviv