The Technion awarded Maestro Zubin Mehta an Honorary Doctorate at a gala concert given by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv on Thursday, July 18, 2013.
The special concert, which was titled “A Musical Matter”, was conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta and Presented by Technion’s Distinguished Prof. Dan Shechtman, 2011 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. This was the season’s closing concert of the “IPO in Jeans” series and was attended by multiple generations of Technion alumni and the audience numbered about 2,500 persons.
The Philharmonic Orchestra began the gala concert with Meyerbeer’s Coronation March conducted by Prof. Dan Shechtman. After the short piece, Maestro Zubin Mehta and Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie took the stage in academic gowns, together with Mr. Sammy Segol, and the honorary degree was conferred on Maestro Zubin Mehta.
Mehta was awarded the degree “in recognition of [his] unique and historic contribution to music in the world in general, and in Israel in particular, through [his] iconic association with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for more than half a century; in celebration of [his] artistic genius, cultural leadership, magnetic personality, and lifelong dedication to transcending the barriers of nations, societies and religions through music; and in deep admiration for [his] enduring, unconditional and unwavering devotion to, and love for, the State of Israel and its people”.
A festive reception was held before the concert under the generous auspices of the Keter Group, courtesy of Tova and Technion alumnus, Sammy Segol.