About Us
Sarah Rafaeli
Born in Israel. Began her musical education playing the piano. In her youth, she chose the bassoon as her major instrument and in 1974 graduated from the Music Academy in Tel Aviv on that instrument.
In the years 1972 – 1977 Sarah played in the Israeli Chamber Orchestra as first bassoonist, and additionally performed in various chamber ensembles.
During the years 1978 – 1980 she played in the Jerusalem Radio Orchestra.
Giora Rafaeli
Born in Haifa, Israel. Grew up and was educated in Kibbutz Kfar Massaryk. He first met the french horn in his youth. After military service in the army orchestra, he was accepted as first horn-player into the Haifa orchestra, where he played 1961–1964. Upon the foundation of the Israeli Chamber Ensemble by Garry Bertini, Giora joined as first horn player and soloist. During the years 1964 – 1978 he performed with the Ensemble in Israel and abroad.
After many years' experience in various professional musical ensembles and organisations, Sarah and Giora reached a crossroads in their lives, in which they decided to 'stop the ratrace' and seek new ways to understand the human being and its various aspects. Thus they met Anthroposophy – a holistic spiritual philosophy given by Rudolf Steiner.
In 1980 they co-founded Kibbutz Harduf in the Galilee – North of Israel. The spirutal path brought them to a renewed encounter with music – this time, through the human voice. They went on a study voyage to Europe that lasted seven years, during which they became acquainted with the path of "Uncovering the Voice" – a spiritual method for learning the art of singing, given at the beginning of the 20th centurey by the Swedish singer Valborg Werbeck Svärdström.
Their deepest musical questions received an answer. The 'archetype' of all musical instruments – the human voice – became for them an infinite source of new understanding of the world of tones and sounds.
Sarah 'uncovered' her voice, that had been hidden inside her until that stage in her life, and began performing as a singer.
In 1991 Sarah and Giora returned to Harduf, Israel, and began teaching the path of 'Uncovering the Voice' in Harduf, Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem through private lessons, group lessons and workshops.
Watch two interviews with Giora Rafaeli, in which he tells about the connection between his own personal path and the Path of Uncovering the Voice:
