Sonic experience

Jerusalem Street Orchestra brings back Clal Festival

Three days of classical music in cavernous lobby of downtown Clal Building, an 'acoustic pearl'

By Jessica Steinberg
  • Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
 22 October 2021, 12:23 am
The Jerusalem Street Orchestra performing at the city's Clal Building, a classical musical festival returning October 26-28, 2021 (Courtesy Jerusalem Street Orchestra)

The Jerusalem Street Orchestra, a classic chamber orchestra that plays in the streets, parks, garages and halls of the city, specializes in unusual locations.

Now it’s back with the Clal Festival, three days of performances in the Clal Building, an iconic downtown structure considered the city’s first mall.

From October 26 through 28, the Jerusalem Street Orchestra will host the Jerusalem Symphony, the Omri Mor quartet, the Israeli Cameri Project and Slash and the Pirates hosting Shaanan Streett.

Audience members are invited to pay according to ability, with seating in the open lobby of the Clal Building.

Ido Shpitalnik, conductor and founder of the Jerusalem Street Orchestra, considers the Clal Building to be an “acoustic pearl,” with asymmetrical floors in the 1970s-era architecture that offer unusual sound possibilities, with a different listening experience depending on where one is sitting.

Tickets for the Clal Festival can be purchased online.

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