Josef Bardanashvili

Josef Bardanashvili was born in Batumi, Georgia and settled in Israel in 1995. He has composed more than a hundred works, including five operas, music for sixty theatres and fifty-five films, five ballets, four symphonies, concertos for various soloists, choral music, chamber music and songs. Two of his operas – A Journey to the End of the Millennium based on libretto by A.B. Yehoshua, and Dybbuk based on the famous novel by An-sky, were commissioned and performed by The Israeli Opera.

His numerous compositions had successfully been performed all over the world – in Israel, Georgia, the USA, Germany, Russia, France, Spain, Italy, Finland, Armenia, Hungary, Canada, Japan, and the UK.

Bardanashvili served as composer-in-residence at the Israel Camerata Jerusalem (2009-2016), at the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion (2005-2006), and at the Raanana Symphonette Orchestra (1996-1999). He also served as musical director of the International Biennial for Contemporary Music “Tempus Fugit” in Tel Aviv (2002, 2004,2006).

He has awarded numerous awards, between them Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music (2024), ACUM  prizes (2018, 2004, 1998), Engel Prize (2013), and the Prime Minister’s Award for Composers (2011, 2000).

From 1999 to 2010 Bardanshvili was a member of the public council of the Ministry of Culture and art of Israel and permanently invited as a member of the jury of different musical competitions, to musical academies and schools for performing different masterclasses and lectures. In Georgia he was the director of the Music College in Batumi (1986-1991), Culture Vice-Minister in Adjaria (1993-1994) and in this capacity organized numerous international music festivals.

He is a faculty member of the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel-Aviv University, the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and Rimon School of Music.