Yaëla Hertz

Yaëla Hertz Berkson (; April 1930 – May 30, 2014) was an Israeli-Canadian teacher and violinist, who was concertmaster of the McGill Chamber Orchestra from 1959 to 2000 and performed with her brother Talmon and pianist Dale Bartlett in the Hertz Trio. She toured the globe throughout her career, recorded the works of various composers, and taught master classes in chamber music and violin all round the world. Hertz also performed in recital as a soloist on radio and television and guided and mentored violinists in KlezKanada.

Early life and education In April 1930, Hertz was born in Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine (now Israel), to a musical family. She was the daughter of Palestine Opera concertmaster Atara Glickson-Hertz, her daughter's first violin teacher, and her father was a concert singer, Hertz later studied with Ödön Pártos, she wore an Israeli uniform in the latter competition after obtaining leave to enter it. Hertz studied with NBC Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Mischa Mischakoff and later under Arturo Toscanini for a period of three years. With the orchestra, she was a soloist, and performed at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in early 1965. At the invitation of conductor Zubin Mehta, she toured Russia with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 1962. and the SUB Theatre in Edmonton forming part of the Edmonton Chamber Music Society series in December 1987.

From 1967 to 1988, Hertz taught at the Cons de Hull, the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, the École de musique Vincent-d'Indy, the McGill University and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Hertz died at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Quebec, on May 30, 2014. She was buried on the afternoon of June 1, 2014, in the Back River Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Legacy

Barbara Smith, the National Youth Orchestra's executive director, described Hertz "not only a phenomenal violinist, she was an incredible educator and mentor to many" and adding "The impact she had on her students was profound and reached beyond just technical and musical influences." A flutist said of Hertz, "To see a strong, confident woman like Yaela fill the traditionally male position of concertmaster was something extraordinary. She played so beautifully and obviously held the respect of the orchestra."