In 2024, The Svetlanov Legacy Charity commissioned Nimrod Borenstein, the Anglo-French-Israeli composer, to write a new work: the Symphony No. 1 “Jerusalem” (Op. 100).
Borenstein (b. 1969, Tel Aviv) is one of today’s most distinctive and internationally acclaimed contemporary composers. His works have been performed at major venues including the Royal Opera House and Royal Festival Hall (London), the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), the Salle Gaveau (Paris), and Carnegie Hall (New York). A former Leverhulme Scholar and now Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in London, he has written more than ninety works spanning orchestral, chamber, and solo genres. His music has long been championed by Vladimir Ashkenazy, who premiered and recorded several of his orchestral works.
The Symphony No. 1 “Jerusalem”, lasting 35 minutes, continues Borenstein’s exploration of large-scale orchestral form and stands as a milestone in his catalogue. Recently, he began a close collaboration with the English Chamber Orchestra as both composer and conductor. Following a successful concert in March 2025, he will record a full album of his music with the ECO, scheduled for release on Somm Recordings in February 2026.