Chen Halevi: Tell me about your first encounter with classical music?

Yitzhak Katzap: In my hometown, Bucharest, there is a long tradition of classical music. During WWII, there has been a “Jewish philharmonic orchestra”. It’s members were Jews who were not aloud to play in the Philharmonic Orchestra, radio orchestra and other music groups, where they used to work.

My mother took me to this orchestras’ concerts and since, I stayed hooked on classical. That is the background for my musical development later on. I still cannot explain exactly why I chose music and did not follow family tradition and became a doctor.

CH: How did you end up playing the clarinet?

IK: In front of my home lived a clarinet player. He wasn’t exceptional, but I heard him play regularly and started loving the instrument. As any “bourgeois” Jewish family of those times, I started playing the violin. I had an exceptional teacher, Benjamin Bernfeld; he was an ex-concert master in Berlin and ran away from Germany to Rumania. Unfortunately, he was a cold and difficult man, and I finally quit the violin. Years later, when I studied in the Academy, he became my chamber music teacher and I’ve learned how much I missed not studying with him earlier. I wanted to play. That was my goal and the true meaning of my life. Each day, it became more serious and my way of life. I studied in the Bucharest academy and later played in the Symphony Orchestra.

The communist society made sport and music its most important virtues. If you were a good musician, you had great value and respect from society. Even the economical situation was good for a musician.

CH: How did you start teaching?

IK: One day, while waiting for a streetcar, I met an old acquaintance from the Academy. He became a music school head master and asked me if I had some time to assist in the clarinet exams. Few days later, the phone rang and there he was asking me if I would be interested in teaching. I was in my 20’ and got my first job. Since, I’ve never stopped teaching. Later, I couldn’t combine playing in an orchestra and teaching and chose teaching in high school and university.

CH: when and why you decided to immigrate to Israel?

IK: Immigrating to Israel had been always my family’s dream. My illness prevented it to become reality earlier. After WWII and before the communist became that harsh regime, we asked for permission to leave Romania. We got one after many years. When I had all the documents ready, they still tried to convince me to either stay, or go and teach in Poland or China. I refused of course. It is interesting to know that I was not thrown out of my work-as it normally happened to people who wanted to leave-but kept working until the last moment. That's in spite of the fact I wasn’t a member of the party or had any political connection. In the first opportunity I got, I left to Israel and I never regretted this decision.

When I arrived at the airport in Israel I asked to live in Jerusalem, where my wife’s family lived. They sent me to Arad. They said that it’s a great place, small place. In Romania, Arad has around one million citizens: Orchestra, theatre… I thought that in Israeli Arad they would have everything as well. I arrived there and fell in love with this small desert town. I still love it and dream about it from time to time. The conservatory with its 6 rooms, next to a small school. I loved so much being in Israel, and I didn’t care where I was. I was happy from every little thing and the truth is that I love working with youngsters.

CH: You have single-handed changed the clarinet world in Israel. You have successful students all around Israel and the world. What is your secret?

IK: There’s no secret, there’s love, love for the students, love for the profession, love for this country. It was a dream of mine to make a small contribution. I didn’t want my life to pass meaninglessly. It could also be the fact that I don’t have any children and many of my students are family to me. That’s how every person should act. I’ve the reputation to be a tough teacher, but in my opinion, every educator, not just in clarinet, should be demanding. As a student, you either study or you waste your time. My toughness intends to produce the maximum out of the student. The ones who understand my way know that everything I do is for the benefit of the student.

CH: how do you feel about the fast changing in the clarinet world, and the future of classical music?

IK: they are many changes in clarinet, in music and in the world that are not easy to accept. Not everything that is played today will stay, but the good things will pass the test of time. And time will give them more depth. I was happy to hear your electronic recital and see the way you have developed in this musical direction. If a person cannot accept the development with a look to the future, he cannot be a teacher. As for the future of classical music, it’s going to go to directions we can hardly imagine today, but we cannot put our heads in the sand and say ‘it’s over with Mozart and Beethoven’: they will endure as long as humanity exists.