Izhak – 'Ziko' – Graziani, the chef d'orchestre of the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest in Jerusalem,died yesterday at the age of 78 after a long illness.

Graziani was born in Bulgaria, there he studied music and conducting orchestra. During the war, when Bulgaria was occupied by the nazis, he was sent to labour camps. When the war was over, he came to live in Israel in 1948, and immediately became the IDF Orchestra conductor. Then, he took over the IBA radio (later IBA radio & tv) orchestra.

He conducted most Israel song festivals in the 60's & 70's, peaking, of course, at the Eurovision Song Contest in Jerusalem 1979.

Graziani was a very popular figure among the entire Israeli music scene and general public.