The Dutch-Israeli Zenith Duo is a refreshing new voice in the classical and ethnic music scene. Performing original compositions, folk tunes, baroque sonatas and music dedicated to them by modern composers, the duo takes the listener on a journey between different worlds that explore the diversity and beauty of the cello and the human voice.
Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Talia is the former assistant principal cellist of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (2017-2019), and principal cellist of the Tel Aviv Soloists Ensemble.
Her repertoire as a cellist includes early music, classical cello repertoire, newly written pieces, folk, jazz, rock, world and free improvisations. Alongside these, Talia is active as a composer, arranger and singer, performing her own music in classical and non-classical venues and writing for theatre and dance.
She played as soloist with the Beer-Sheva Sinfinieta, Jerusalem Strings, Tel-Aviv Soloists Ensemble, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Street Orchestra, and the Mendi Rodan Symphony Orchestra of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.
Her performance of original music in the play 'A very narrow bridge' (Chutzpah! Festival 2016, Vancouver, Canada) was nominated for a Jessie Richardson Award in the category 'significant artistic achievement' and her performance of the piece 'Channels' dedicated to her by Oleg Bogod won the Aviv Competitions 2015 in the category 'performance of an Israeli piece'.
Talia often participates in community-oriented projects such as 'Mekudeshet' festival Jerusalem ('Dissovling Boundaries' journey) and the Jerusalem Street Orchestra.
Her playing was broadcasted on the German television, the BBC radio, and can often be heard at the Israeli classical radio station 'Kol HaMusika'.
Irene Kok received her first cello lessons at the age of 10 and soon after was enrolled into the class of young talented musicians of the ArtEZ Conservatory with Jeroen Reuling. Since 2010 she has been stuyding at the Conservatory in Amsterdam with Jeroen den Herder and baroque cello with Viola de Hoog. From 2016 on she is doing a Post-Graduate study at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna with professor Latzko with a scholarschip from the Prince Bernard Cultuurfonds and Müllerfonds. She has won numerous competitions, including first price at the Prinses Christina Concours and the Euro Competition for cello. She is price winner at Kiejstut Bacewicz International Chamber Music Competition and York Early Music Competition. Since 2017 Irene Kok is an artist for the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation “Live Music Now” in Vienna. Irene Kok was principal cellist in the Dutch National Youth Orchestra for several years and was selected to play in the Master Academy of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014 and Zermatt Festival Academy in 2017/18. She is a member of the Chimaera Trio, Zenith Celloduo and Amsterdam Corelli Collective which was selected to take part in the Ambronay Cultural Encounter Centre’s Eeemerging Project for 2015. Irene plays on a Capicchioni cello from Cremona, which is kindly lent to her by the Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation.
Free recital with retiring collection.