Mendi Rodan
Encyclopedia
Mendi Rodan (born 1929; died May 9, 2009) was a Romanian-born Israel
i conductor, composer and violinist.
, Romania
, one of three children of Solomon and Miriam Rosenblum. Mendi began playing the violin at the age of five. His parents made sure that all the children got extra tuition in languages, mathematics, physical education and music. In 1941 Mendi's father and many of his relatives were murdered in pogrom
s carried out against the Jews of Iaşi. Mendi, his mother and his brothers survived the war but suffered from extreme financial hardship.
After the liberation of Romania from fascist rule, Rodan began studying engineering, but eventually he abandoned these studies. One of his musical mentors and teachers was Mirce Bersan, as well as the Armenian violinist Garabet Avakian. He studied conducting with the noted Romanian conductor Constantin Silvestri
at the Romanian National Academy of Music in Bucharest
. In the field of chamber music, Rodan was the pupil of the Jewish composer Michai Andryko. In 1957, Rodan pursued advanced studies in conducting and chamber music at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music
in Budapest
, Hungary.
In 1953 Rodan married Judith, with whom he had two children. Around this time, he changed his surname to Rodan.
until his departure.
to Israel with his family, settling in Jerusalem. In 1961-1963 he was the conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Ramat Gan. From 1963 to 1972, Rodan was the principal conductor and musical director of the Israel Radio Orchestra in Jerusalem. From 1964, he was a guest conductor with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
at the Israel Festival
and at the Artur Rubinstein Competition. From 1972-1976 he was a regular guest conductor with the Oslo Philharmonic in Norway. From 1977-1991, he served as musical director of the Israel Sinfonietta in Beersheba
. From 1980-1983, he was a music consultant at the Jerusalem Music Centre
in Mishkenot Sha’ananim
. From 1985-1989, he was the music director and conductor of the National Orchestra of Belgium
. During that same period, he was the artistic director of the Orchestra of the Education Corps of the Israeli Defense Forces. From 1993-1997, he was a conducting fellow with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1993-2005, he was the music director and principal conductor of the Rishon Lezion Symphony Orchestra.
Mendi Rodan conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra
and the Vienna Symphony. He served as a guest professor and conductors at many universities, including the Eastman School of Music
in Rochester, New York
and Brigham Young University
in Salt Lake City, Utah
.] He headed the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
, and sat on the Council for Art and Culture of the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Israeli Council for Higher Education. From 2004, he was a professor of conducting in the Buchman-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University
.
In honor of his 80th birthday, the Israel Stage Orchestra held a concert at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art
led by seven young conductors who had studied with Rodan. Rodan himself was not present due to illness.
and the Israel Philharmonic issued a statement expressing their condolences to the Rodan family and to the musical community in Israel, lowered their heads "at the passing of a musician of giant stature, a sensitive, Renaissance man, a true friend and a unique and talented conductor".
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i conductor, composer and violinist.
Biography
Mendi Rodan (Rosenblum) was born in IaşiIasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, one of three children of Solomon and Miriam Rosenblum. Mendi began playing the violin at the age of five. His parents made sure that all the children got extra tuition in languages, mathematics, physical education and music. In 1941 Mendi's father and many of his relatives were murdered in pogrom
Pogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
s carried out against the Jews of Iaşi. Mendi, his mother and his brothers survived the war but suffered from extreme financial hardship.
After the liberation of Romania from fascist rule, Rodan began studying engineering, but eventually he abandoned these studies. One of his musical mentors and teachers was Mirce Bersan, as well as the Armenian violinist Garabet Avakian. He studied conducting with the noted Romanian conductor Constantin Silvestri
Constantin Silvestri
-Early life:Silvestri, born of Austro-Italian-Romanian stock, was brought up on his own by his mother, his father dying from alcoholism and his stepfather dying when the boy was 16. He had learnt how to play the piano and organ before the age of 6. He played the piano in public at 10 and was a...
at the Romanian National Academy of Music in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. In the field of chamber music, Rodan was the pupil of the Jewish composer Michai Andryko. In 1957, Rodan pursued advanced studies in conducting and chamber music at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music
Franz Liszt Academy of Music
The Franz Liszt Academy of Music is a concert hall and music conservatory in Budapest, Hungary, founded on November 14, 1875...
in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary.
In 1953 Rodan married Judith, with whom he had two children. Around this time, he changed his surname to Rodan.
Career in Romania
At the age of 16, Rodan became first violinist of the National Symphony of Romania. At the age of 24, he became its conductor. To augment his salary, he gave private lessons in mathematics. In 1958, he applied for a permit to immigrate to Israel. As a result of the request he was fired from all his positions with the orchestra in Bucharest and forced to move to BacăuBacau
Bacău is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. It covers a land surface of 43 km², and, as of January 1, 2009, has an estimated population of 177,087. The city is situated in the historical region of Moldavia, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, and on the Bistriţa River...
until his departure.
Career in Israel
In 1960, Rodan made aliyahAliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Israel with his family, settling in Jerusalem. In 1961-1963 he was the conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Ramat Gan. From 1963 to 1972, Rodan was the principal conductor and musical director of the Israel Radio Orchestra in Jerusalem. From 1964, he was a guest conductor with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is the leading symphony orchestra in Israel. It was originally known as the Palestine Orchestra, and in Hebrew as התזמורת הסימפונית הארץ ישראלית The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit...
at the Israel Festival
Israel Festival
The Israel Festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival held every spring in Israel. Its center is Jerusalem.The Israel Festival started in 1961 as a summer festival for classical music in the ancient Roman theater in Caesarea...
and at the Artur Rubinstein Competition. From 1972-1976 he was a regular guest conductor with the Oslo Philharmonic in Norway. From 1977-1991, he served as musical director of the Israel Sinfonietta in Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
. From 1980-1983, he was a music consultant at the Jerusalem Music Centre
Jerusalem Music Centre
The Jerusalem Music Centre is an institute for musical education in Mishkenot Sha’ananim, Jerusalem, Israel. The centre helps young Israeli musicians to develop their talents through multi-annual programs and courses, master classes, and performances...
in Mishkenot Sha’ananim
Mishkenot Sha’ananim
Mishkenot Sha’ananim was the first Jewish neighborhood built outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, on a hill directly across from Mount Zion...
. From 1985-1989, he was the music director and conductor of the National Orchestra of Belgium
National Orchestra of Belgium
The Nationaal Orkest van België or Orchestre National de Belgique is the oldest of two major orchestras now in Belgium, along with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège....
. During that same period, he was the artistic director of the Orchestra of the Education Corps of the Israeli Defense Forces. From 1993-1997, he was a conducting fellow with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1993-2005, he was the music director and principal conductor of the Rishon Lezion Symphony Orchestra.
Mendi Rodan conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
and the Vienna Symphony. He served as a guest professor and conductors at many universities, including the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.] He headed the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance , founded in 1958 as the Rubin Academy of Music, is located on the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.-History:...
, and sat on the Council for Art and Culture of the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Israeli Council for Higher Education. From 2004, he was a professor of conducting in the Buchman-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
.
Awards and commemoration
- Rodan was awarded the Medal of Distinction of the Republic of Italy.
- In 2006, Rodan was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
for music.
In honor of his 80th birthday, the Israel Stage Orchestra held a concert at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Tel Aviv Museum of Art
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is an art museum in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was established in 1932 in a building that was the home of Tel Aviv's first mayor, Meir Dizengoff. The Helena Rubinstein Pavilion for Contemporary Art opened in 1959. The museum moved to its current location on King Saul Avenue in...
led by seven young conductors who had studied with Rodan. Rodan himself was not present due to illness.
Death
Rodan died of cancer on May 9, 2009. At a concert that took place on the day of his death, the audience and Israel Philharmonic observed a moment of silence in his honor. Maestro Zubin MehtaZubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
and the Israel Philharmonic issued a statement expressing their condolences to the Rodan family and to the musical community in Israel, lowered their heads "at the passing of a musician of giant stature, a sensitive, Renaissance man, a true friend and a unique and talented conductor".