Menahem Avidom

Menahem Avidom was born in 1908 in Stanislau, Galicia, then Austro-Hungarian Empire. He came to Eretz Israel in 1925 and graduated at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon, and at the Conservatory of Music in Paris, France. From 1935 until 1946 he taught at the Tel Aviv Music Conservatory and at the Music Teachers Training College, Tel Aviv. His other appointments include, among others, Secretary General of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (1945-1952); Artistic Consultant to the National Tourism Centre (1952-1955); Vice-President of ACUM’s (Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers) Board of Directors and its General Director (1955-1980); Chairman of the Israel Composers’ League (1958-1971); member of the National Council of Culture and Art. Avidom’s works range from orchestral music and opera to chamber music, piano music and vocal music. Many awards, prizes and honours were bestowed upon him, among them Tel Aviv Municipality Prize (1947, 1956); the IPO Prize (1953); the Israel Prize (1961); ACUM Prize (1962, 1982). Avidom died on August 5, 1995.