Ina-Esther Joost

Ina-Esther Joost is one of Israel’s leading cellists today. She has represented Israel at international music festivals in France, Germany, Romania and Hungary where, at the Israel-Hungarian Friendship Association/Music-Seminar in Debrecen, she has given master classes every summer since 1992.

Ms. Joost began her musical studies in Germany where she was born. After receiving her diploma at the State Academy of Music in Hamburg, she studied with Pierre Fournier in Geneva, Enrique Barenboim in Paris and Tel Aviv, and Seregiu Celibidache.

Ms. Joost received several First Prizes in German music competitions, and international awards in Geneva and the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Her international career began when she won First Prize at the International Cello Competition in Belgrade in 1978 and a special prize for her interpretation of a contemporary work. She has performed as a soloist in nearly all European countries, Israel, the USA and at the Seoul Music Festival in Korea where she performed with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.

Ms. Joost has recorded for radio and TV in Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Romania and Israel. The Israel Music Institute produced her first recording of French and Israeli contemporary music for cello solo in 1988.

She has lived in Israel since 1989, and is principal cellist of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. She has premiered 10 works dedicated to her by Israeli composers.