The IPO honours Sir Frank and Lady Shirley Lowy
The Philharmonic Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra have dedicated a concert in Tel Aviv in honour of Lady Shirley and Sir Frank Lowy, among the orchestra’s closest friends and among the largest contributors to the renovation of the Mann Auditorium.
IPO’s foundation chairman Michael Zellermayer, Sir Frank Lowy and the IPO’s foundation CEO Tali Gottlieb. Photo: Oded Antman
The Sydney-based Lowys assisted with the “Pami’i Tikva” private donation fund in the renovation of the Mann Auditorium.
The concert held in the Lowy Auditorium was under the direction of one of the world’s greatest violinists Pinchas Zuckerman. Among the guests were: Michal and Mickey Zellermayer – Philharmonic Orchestra Director Lisa and Ehud Olmert, Alfred Akirov, Tova and Sami Sagol, Zvia Meitar, Hanina Brandes, Yossi Hachmi, Sarah and
Prof. Michael Sela, Tali Gottlieb of the The IPO, Avi Shoshani, Director General of the Philharmonic Orchestra.
Pinchas Zuckerman conducts the orchestra
Photo: Oded Antman
“Frank grew up in Czechoslovakia, where there was no orchestra and certainly no concerts, when he and his family hid in Nazi-occupied Budapest,” Miki Zellermaier told the Louis couple about their activities for the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. When he finally arrived in the nascent Land of Israel, he devoted himself to the Golani reconnaissance unit, and only in the 1950s did Frank join classical music thanks to Shirley, who took him to a free youth concert in the early 1950s, shortly after arriving in Sydney.”
Tali Gottlieb, director of the orchestra’s foundation said: “The generous contribution of Lady Shirley and Sir Frank Lowy each year gives tens of thousands of lovers of classical music in Israel the opportunity to hear and see the concerts of the Philharmonic Orchestra at the highest level and for this we appreciate them – thanks”.
Sir Frank Lowy is the co-founder of the international Westfield shopping centre group.The 87-yr-old businessman was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen at Windsor Castle last month.
