BIOGRAPHY

Ella Milch-Sheriff, winner of Lifetime achievement award 2022 by the Israel's composers and authors institute, is one of Israel's most performed composers in recent years. Born in Haifa, Israel, she began her career as a composer at the young age of 12, graduating in composition from the Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. Her musical style blends contemporary western music with Jewish, Israeli and middle eastern motifs.  

Her 5th opera "Alma" about Alma Mahler-Werfel, conducted by Omer Meir Wellber, commissioned by the Voksoper Wien, premiered in Vienna, October 26th, 2024 achieved unprecendented success.

“The eternal stranger" for Actor and orchestra, commissioned and premiered by the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig in 2020 with further performance in Teatro Massimo, Palermo (2020), NDR Philharmonic in Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg (2021), BBC Philharmonic in Manchester (2022) and Israel Philharmonic (2022), Boston Symphony, Tonhalle Orchester Zurich, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra Stockholm (2023) and Wiener Symphoniker (2023) . (all these performances conducted by Omer Meir Wellber).

 

Ella composes operas, chamber, orchestral and vocal music as well as popular music and solo works. Her music is performed widely through Israel, (Israel Philharmonic/ Zubin Mehta and all Israel's major orchestras and musical ensembles) Germany, (Berlin, Hamburg, Duesseldorf, Bochum, Braunschweig etc.), Austria, Great Britain, other European countries and the US.

 

In 2005 Ms. Milch-Sheriff was awarded the prestigious Israel prime minister prize.  Her first opera, “And the Rat Laughed” (2005) received the Tel-Aviv Rosenblum prize for an outstanding achievement, receiving productions throughout Europe and Toronto, Canada.

Her opera “The Banality of Love” (Hannah Arendt and Martin Heidegger’s relationship) was commissioned and premiered in Staatstheater Regensburg, Germany in 2018.

Her opera, “Baruchs schweigen” (Baruch’s silence) based on the true story of her family, was commissioned and premiered in Braunschweig, Germany in 2010, with further productions in Tel-Aviv, Fuerth, and Vienna (2016). 

Ella Milch-Sheriff composed original music to the film "Past life" (2016) directed by Avi Nesher. The film is based on her family story. She won Lys d'Or in 2017 in Montreal for her music.

 

Other recent orchestral compositions include:

Her Clarinet Quartet commissioned by “Intonations” festival Berlin and JCMF Jerusalem, premiered in 2022 in Berlin and Jerusalem.

Her orchestration of Bach's last fugue from "The Art of Fugue" for symphony orchestra, also commissioned by the Gewandhaus Leipzig, premiered in 2019. Further performances included The Stockholm Radio Symphony Orchestra.

 

Her work “Abschied” (Farewell) (2021) for Soprano and Orchestra based on texts by the German Jewish poet Else Lasker-Schueler commissioned and played in 2021 by the Bochum symphony. (Cond. by Steven Sloane) with further performances in Jerusalem.

 

“Noam”, a fantasy for Flute and Orchestra was commissioned and played by NKO in Tel-Aviv in 2019 (Sharon Bezaly, Con. Christian Lindberg).

 

“Shacharit” (Dawn) for Soprano, Baritone, mixed choir and orchestra was commissioned and premiered by The Israel Camerata Jerusalem in 2018 (Con. Oliver Weder). Further performances include Potsdam, Germany.

 

“Halftones” for singer and orchestra was commissioned and premiered by The Ra’anana Symphonette in 2016 (Cond. Omer Wellber), further performance include Malmo Sweden (Steven Sloane).

 

“Waves” for mezzo-soprano and orchestra commissioned and premiered by the Israel Camerata Jerusalem in 2010 (cond. Avner Biron).

 

“Night’s End Anthem” for 2 sopranos, children’s choir and orchestra was commissioned and premiered in Tel-Aviv in 2009 by The Israel Philharmonic (Cond. Zubin Mehta).

 

“Can Heaven be Void” for narrator, mezzo-soprano and orchestra commissioned and premiered in 2003 by Ra’anana Symphonette (Kynan Johns). Further performances include Germany, Poland, Lithuania and U.S.A.

Her other vast list of compositions includes, chamber music, choral pieces, as well as works for solo instruments and voice. Among them “Songs from the Edge” for Mezzo-Soprano and String Quartet commissioned and premiere in Chautauqua NY 2006 (Audubon Quartet) with further performances throughout the USA and Israel; “Dark am I”, a Fantasy for singers and instrumental ensemble commissioned and premiered by The Israel Festival in Jerusalem 2007 with further performances in Israel and Europe; “Reflections on Love” for Piano commissioned and premiered in the Rubinstein International competition in Tel-Aviv, 2013; “Conversation with a Stone” for singers, choir and chamber ensemble premiered in Tel-Aviv in 2015. Further performances include staged performances in Bonn, Germany and Luxemburg.

As a film composer, Ms. Milch-Sheriff wrote original music to the film “Past Life” (2016), directed by Avi Nesher, also based on her life’s story. She won Lys d’Or 2017 in Montreal Israeli film festival for her music.

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Ella’s works are published by Peters Edition and the earlier works are published by IMI, Israel.