The Rhapsody for String Quartet is my first true composition and, to this day, one of my most personal works.

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My father was very strict when it came to music. He wanted me to pursue a classical career as a violinist, while I increasingly felt that I wanted to compose, conduct and experiment with different genres. For a long time, I did not dare show him my first pieces, afraid of his criticism.

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In 2021, I finally had the idea of writing a work for string quartet that could be performed by the Jewish Chamber Orchestra Hamburg, which my father had co-founded. By that time, he was already seriously ill and no longer able to play himself, but he listened attentively to the rehearsals and attended the world premiere in August 2021.

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After the concert, he said: “Wow, this is a really good piece. I’m impressed.” Those words moved me deeply. It was the first time my father had encouraged me in something that came entirely from within myself.

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Only a few months later, he passed away. But that moment remained, and it continues to carry me to this day. For me, the Rhapsody for String Quartet is therefore more than an early work: it is a turning point, a farewell and the memory of a moment of genuine recognition.