Dov Seltzer

Biography

Dov Seltzer (born 1932) is an Israeli composer, conductor, and pianist of Romanian descent.

### Early Life

Born as Bernard Seltzer in Iași, Moldova, Romania, to a family that later moved to Bucharest. He demonstrated musical talent from childhood and began studying piano at the age of five. By the time he was nine, he had already started learning music theory and harmony under the guidance of Alfred Mendelsohn and Mikhail Jora.

### Immigration to Israel

In 1947, at the age of 15, Seltzer emigrated with his brother Haim to Palestine (then under British mandate) as part of the Youth Aliyah program. However, their ship was intercepted by a British vessel, and all passengers were imprisoned in an arrest camp in Cyprus. After the establishment of the State of Israel, Seltzer was released from the camp and immigrated to Israel.

### Career

Seltzer's early musical endeavors include composing his first opera, "The Land without Adults," which premiered at the age of 14 on the stage of the Professional Theatre for Children in Bucharest. He later studied music theory and composition formally and went on to become a renowned composer, conductor, and pianist.

### Awards

Seltzer is a laureate of the Israel Prize (also known as the Israel State Prize), which he won for his contributions to Hebrew music.

See Also

* Youth Aliyah
* Israel Prize
* Israeli composers