"My initial inspiration for the concerto came when I heard a recording of Bach's keyboard concerto in A major on the radio (performed by piano and strings). I found the bright sound of the Violins doubling the Piano's top line very exciting, and then and there I improvised the opening tutti of my Concerto in A. This was the first time I wrote a Neo-Classical piece. I found the challenge of doing something new while keeping the transparency and directness of the classical style very appealing.

I got even more ecstatic about the piece when I realized that using the traditional harmonic vocabulary enables me to effortlessly integrate Jazz, Pop, and Rock elements into the piece. Even though the piece is dedicated to Vivaldi, one can also find in it allusions to Nina Simone, The Police, The Cure, Stravinsky, and of course, to Bach. Throughout the piece the soloist borrows patterns that are idiomatic to the string instruments of the orchestra."

The piece is in three movements: fast-slow-fast. The first and third movements use the tutti-solo convention of the Baroque era. The second is a song without words.

Movements of the Concerto:
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Presto

The concerto’s main conflicts are between sound and silence and between motion and stasis. One of the things that inspired me to deal with these opposites is the Mandolin’s most basic technique – the tremolo, which is the rapid repetition of notes. The tremolo embodies both motion and stasis. The rapid movement provides momentum, while the pitches stay the same.

The concerto can be divided into three main sections that are played attacca:

1. A slow meditative movement with occasional dynamic outbursts. The tremolo and silences accumulate energy which is released in fast kinetic outbursts. The main motives of the piece are introduced, all of which are based on the minor and major second.
2. A fast dance like movement that accumulates energy leading to a culmination at its end. The tremolo is slowed down becoming a relentless repetition in the bass - like a heartbeat. The fast movement is constructed much like a Baroque Concerto and a Concerto Grosso. The solo and tutti alternate frequently and in many instances instruments from the orchestra join the Mandolin as additional soloists.
3. Recapitulation of the opening movement. After the energy is depleted, all that is left for the ending is to delve deeper into the meditation of the opening movement and concentrate on a pure melody and an underlying heartbeat.

I would like to thank Avi Avital for his dedication and commitment throughout the process of creating this piece; for many hours of experimenting with unusual techniques; for introducing me to the Mandolin’s vast repertoire, including Baroque Mandolin, Russian folk music, Bluegrass, Indian music, Brazilian Jazz and Avant-Garde; and for performing the piece with depth and virtuosity.

In 2002 Israeli conductor Aviv Ron approached me to write a concerto for his orchestra for a series dedicated to Baroque concertos. He wanted a piece based on the music of Handel and Vivaldi, and I gladly accepted the challenge.

I chose to use the opening theme of Handel's Concerto Grosso opus 6 no.4 as my main motif, and Vivaldi's signature virtuosic patterns as the rhythmic driving force of the piece. The piece can be described as a "minimalist" take on baroque music, influenced by Górecki, Pärt, and Glass, and taking their techniques to new extremes.

The soloists are comprised of a String Quartet and a Harpsichord. As in a traditional concerto grosso, they serve as both soloists and as leaders for the large ensemble. Structurally, the piece has three large sections — (i) slow, (ii) fast, and (iii) slow. The opening slow section is interrupted twice by outbursts of energy, and the middle fast section gives way to a static exploration of sound toward its culmination.

Concerto Grosso was premiered in February of 2003; its revised version was premiered in November of the same year.

Baroque and Classical — The first movement is based on the classical sonata form. Throughout the piece, there are several fugues and canons. I also use many sequential patterns and other clichés of 18th century music in this piece.

Ethnic — to my ears, the Piccolo's bottom octave sounds very similar to Middle Eastern shepherd's flutes. In the second movement, especially, I emphasize this similarity by using characteristic modes of Middle-Eastern music, as well as common styles of ornamentation from the region. Another reference to my home region is the imitation of the sounds of desert winds and of the Mediterranean Sea in the second part of the movement.

Jazz and Popular music — From the very first notes of the concerto, the juxtaposition of a steady beat in the bass with syncopations in the upper parts serves as a key compositional technique in this piece. Frequently, the classical and ethnic motives are accompanied by short repetitive patterns. In vast sections of the piece, the soloist's part is supposed to sound as if it is an improvisation. In certain sections of the piece, these repetitive rhythms together with the Basso-Continuo lines emulate modern drum-machines.