Arie Lipsky
Music Director/Conductor
Arie Lipsky is a native of Haifa, Israel, and it was there that he received extensive training as a cellist and as a flutist. When he was nine, he won the first of many prestigious musical competitions allowing him to solo with the Haifa Symphony Orchestra. After this success, he began to appear in concerts throughout Israel and Europe. Arie subsequently began serious study of composition and conducting. His mentors include Semyon Bychkov, Yoel Levi and Kurt Mazur in conducting and Pablo Casals and Leonard Rose on cello. He holds degrees in Aeronautical Engineering and Music which he received before serving in the Israeli armed forces as a tank commander.
After moving to the United States, Arie served as Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra and graduated from there with distinction. During this period he alsoassumed conducting responsibilities with the Ohio Light Opera. He moved to Buffalo in 1984 to become the Philharmonic's principal cellist and, in 1990, also became the Resident Conductor, a position he held for twelve years.
He was a prize winner in the Chicago Cello Society Competition and performed as principal cellist with the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Opera and the Colorado Music Festival. Arie has performed as cellist with the New Arts Trio since 1996. He is Director of Chamber Music in the Chautauqua School of Music.
Maestro Lipsky is currently in his fifteenth season as Music Director and Conductor of the Ashland Symphony Orchestra. He is also in his eleventh season as Music Director and Conductor of the Ann Arbor (Michigan) Symphony. He is also a frequent conductor with orchestras in Europe, Israel and North America.
Arie currently lives in Buffalo and has an active family life with his wife Rachel, son Gilad, and daughter Inbal.