Six young, talented Beit Shemesh musicians were sent to South Africa by Partnership 2000 and the Beit Shemesh Foundation for a series of concerts around the country. Their crowning achievement was a performance in front of an audience of 1300 people in the Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg. According to the South African Jewish Report: "They had an appreciative audience clamoring for more as they teamed up with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Michael Hankinson, for a performance of sheer brilliance, belying their tender age."

Fourteen-year-old violist Daniel Askarov who emigrated from Russia at the age of two, gave a "transcendental rendition" of Saint Saens's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, reported Shelley Elk of the Jewish Report. He has already won a number of violin competitions in Israel and outside the country in his young career.

The youngsters, aged 12 - 18 are all students at  the Beit Shemesh Music Conservatory . The delegation was also sponsored by the IUA-UCF with the gala event sponsored by businessman David Sussman and his wife Rose.

Marina Friedman, director of the Beit Shemesh Music Conservatory said even though the youngsters were nervous, they did well and she was very proud of them.

Yael Nachmani, a violinist, said that being in South Africa had been an amazing experience and that she was nervous and excited to be an ambassador from Israel. The musicians traveling from Beit Shemesh were: Leah Pinson, Dikla Mordechai, Yael Nahmani, Daniel Askarov, Ayelet Eckstein and Simcha Lipner. Congratulations to all of them on a job well done!