Rivka Golani, born on March 22, 1946, in Tel Aviv, Israel, is a viola player. She began playing the violin at age seven and later switched to the viola at 21 under the tutelage of Oedoen Partos. Golani became a member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra before moving to Canada in 1974 with her first husband, luthier Otto Erdesz. Her career took off as she performed with numerous orchestras worldwide, including the Boston Symphony and the Royal Concertgebouw. Notable recordings include Chaconne by Michael Colgrass with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Johann Sebastian Bach's works arranged for solo viola. Golani has also collaborated extensively, recording pieces such as Brahms' Viola Sonata in F minor and Britten's "Lachrymae". She moved to London and continued to be an active performer and painter.
