Micha Haran, Conductor and Cellist

Micha Haran (formerly Michael Haran) was born in Jerusalem.
He studied at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem and at the Paris National Conservatory of Music. His principal teachers were Andre Navarra and Bernard Greenhouse, he also studied chamber music with violinist Joseph Calvet and conducting with Aldo Ceccato.
He won the Paris National Music Conservatory's 1st prize for Cello-1964, international prizes in Geneva-1967, New York-(Concert Artists guilde-1968), Firenze-1973 and the Antonio Janigro Prize for the best performance of Bach in the Geneva competition.
As a soloist he appeared with orchestras such as the Israel Philharmonic, Academia of Santa Cecilia, Milano R.A.I, Genova Opera, Bergen Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony and Mexican National Symphony collaborating with conductors Paul Paray, Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Christoff Echenbach, Charles Dutoit, Genadi Rozdestvensky, Raphael Frubeck de Burgos, Mendi Rodan, Daniel Oren and Aldo Ceccato. He performed Claude Pascal's Cello Concerto in the New York premiere at Carnegie Hall with conductor John Barnett-1969. He also performed as a soloist without conductor in concertos by classical composers with I.P.O, Orquesta Sinfonica de Chile, Cordoba Chamber Orchestra and Rishon Symphony Orchestra.
In recitals and chamber music concerts he played with Pnina Salzman, Sergiu Luca, Yitzhak Perlman, Emanuel Ax and Alexander Fiorillo.
In the years 1970- 1976 he taught at Temple University- College of Music in Philadelphia were he was a member of the Temple Trio.
Since 1976 he is principal cellist of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
He also teaches at Tel-Aviv University's Buchman-Mehta School of Music, as well as at Master Classes in Israel and abroad.
He took part as a cellist and bass player in chamber music concerts in Israel, Belgium, Brasil and the U.S.
As a conductor he appeared with the I.P.O, Jerusalem Symphony, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Cordoba Chamber Orchestra, Pro Arte- Brazil and ensembles Philocamera and Kaprizma.
Micha Haran finds a special interest in performing the works of his friend- composer Jan Freidlin who's 2nd Symphony he premiered in South America- conducting the Orquesta Sinfonica de Chile on August 2006.
In June 2006 he has performed the Bach 6 suites for cello at the church of Robledo de Chavela near Madrid.
He also plays viola (cello position), improvisation and Jazz.
He has directed chamber music series and marathons.