Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday announced a scholarship programme for young Israeli musicians to spend two years studying at the Berlin Philharmonic's orchestra academy. The programme is named for Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman who frequently played with the orchestra until 1933, when he refused to appear in Germany because of Nazi policies against Jewish musicians. He founded the Palestine Orchestra, now the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, in 1936.
The programme coincides with the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel and and is designed to remember Huberman's contributions, Merkel said before a concert under director Sir Simon Rattle to mark the occasion with works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Anton Webern.
Funding has been secured for 15 years, primarily through private contributions.
