Ofra Harnoy (cellist)

Ofra Harnoy CM (Hebrew: עופרה הרנוי; born January 31, 1965) is an Israeli-Canadian cellist. She is a Member of the Order of Canada. When she signed with RCA Victor Red Seal, Harnoy became the first Canadian classical instrumental soloist since Glenn Gould to gain an exclusive worldwide contract with a major record label. She is a five-time Juno Award winner. Harnoy was born in Hadera, Israel. She moved with her family to Toronto in 1971. When she was six, she began cello lessons with her father, Jacob Harnoy. Her teachers included Vladimir Orloff, William Pleeth, Pierre Fournier, Jacqueline du Pré, and Mstislav Rostropovich. She is married to the trumpeter, producer, and composer Mike Herriott. Harnoy made her professional debut as a soloist with an orchestra at age 10. She had her solo-orchestral and recital debuts at Carnegie Hall in 1982. Harnoy performed and recorded the world premiere of the Offenbach cello concerto in 1985 and the North American premiere of the Bliss cello concerto in 1984. She also made the world premiere recordings of several Vivaldi concertos. In 1987, she joined RCA Victor Red Seal and recorded several best-selling albums. Harnoy has played with Plácido Domingo, Sting, Igor Oistrakh, Loreena McKennitt, and Jesse Cook. In 2019, Harnoy released the album Back to Bach on the Analekta label. In September 2023, she released the album Elgar & Lalo Cello Concertos on Sony Classical Records. 1982 Concert Artists Guild Award 1983 Musical America Young Musician of the Year 1987 Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble 1988 Grand Prix du Disque 1989 Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble 1991 Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year 1993 Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year 1994 Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year 1995 Member of the Order of Canada Elgar & Lalo Cello Concertos (2023) Elgar: Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85, 1996, with George Pehlivanian conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Lalo: Cello Concerto in D Minor, reissue of 1996 recording Portrait (2023), with Mike Herriott and the H&H Studio Orchestra. Compositions by George Gershwin, Gaetano Donizetti, Leonard Bernstein, César Franck, Léo Delibes, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Georges Bizet Back to Bach (2019) Vivaldi: Complete Cello Concertos (2005) Disc 1 with the Toronto Chamber Orchestra with Paul Robinson, conductor Concerto for Cello in D minor, RV 405 Concerto for Cello in C minor, RV 401 Concerto for Cello in B-flat, RV 423 Concerto for Cello in C, RV 399 Concerto for Cello and Bassoon in E minor, RV 409, with James McKay, bassoon Concerto Movement for Cello in D minor, RV 538 Disc 2 with the Toronto Chamber Orchestra with Paul Robinson, conductor Concerto for Cello in D, RV 403 Concerto for Cello in B minor, RV 424 Concerto for Cello in A minor, RV 422 Concerto for Cello in C minor, RV 402 Concerto for Cello in F, RV 412 Concerto for Cello in G, RV 414 Concerto for Cello in D minor, RV 406 Disc 3 with the Toronto Chamber Orchestra with Paul Robinson, conductor Concerto for Cello in F, RV 411 Concerto for Cello in D, RV 404 Concerto for Cello in A minor, RV 420 Concerto for Cello in D minor, RV 407 Concerto for Cello in G minor, RV 417 Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra in F, "Il Proteo o sia Il mondo al rovescio," RV 544, with Igor Oistrakh, violin Disc 4 with the Toronto Chamber Orchestra with Richard Stamp and Paul Robinson, conductors Concerto for Cello in A minor, RV 418 Concerto for Cello in E-flat, RV 408 Concerto for Cello in G minor, RV 416 Concerto for Cello in A minor, RV 419 Concerto for Cello in G, RV 413 Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra in B-flat, RV 547, with Igor Oistrakh, violin Offenbach: Concerto Militaire, Andante; Lalo: Cello Concerto in D minor (1996) Imagine (1996) Trilogy (1993). Cello concertos by I Solisti Veneti, Claudio Scimone, and Ofra Harnoy Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations, Music for Cello & Orchestra (1992) Bloch: Schelomo; Bruch: Kol Nidrei, Canzone, Adagio on Celtic Themes & Ave Maria (1991), with Charles Mackerras and the London Philharmonic Orchestra Cello Recital (1980) Janof, Tim (1996-12-30). "ICS Featured Artist: Conversation with Ofra Harnoy". Internet Cello Society. Retrieved 2018-08-17. Wall, Lukas (2019-03-14). "Couple finds love and music in Newfoundland — after 35 years apart". CBC News. Verna, Paul, ed. (1996-04-13). "Albums" (PDF). Billboard. p. 79 – via World Radio History. Daly, Mike (1996-06-17). "MUSICAL STRANDS SMOOTHLY WOVEN". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2026-02-20. Official website