M. Steinert & Sons proudly presents pianist Yakir Arbib in concert at Steinert Hall on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 7:00pm!
The performance is open to the public but seating is limited. Please call Brendan Murphy at 617-426-1900 x257 for reservations.
Yakir Arbib Biography
Yakir Arbib was born in Jerusalem on March 6th 1989, and started playing the piano when he was 4 years old. At 7 years old he enrolled at Tel Aviv’s “Stricker Conservatory Of Music” where he studied between the years 1996 and 2007, taking flute, trumpet and ensemble playing in addition to classical piano repertoire. During those early years Yakir performed in many concerts/recitals in the conservatory and has received a number of scholarships.
At the age of 14 his career took a completely different turn when he attracted the attention of the only jazz teacher at the conservatory at the time who started then giving Yakir jazz lessons, and in 2004 he was admitted to the prestigious “Thelma-Yellin Highschool of the Arts” in Tel Aviv where he continued his studies in jazz with some of Israel’s most influencial artists such as Amos Hoffman, Eli Degibri, and the Cohen brothers.
As a jazz player Yakir got the chance to perform as leader in some of the most important jazz clubs and festivals in Israel and Italy including “The Shablool”, “Ha Gada Ha Smalit”, “Charity Jazz Cafe”, “Diavolo Rosso”, “Villa Celimontana”, “Jazz At The Red Sea”, “100% Art”, “Roma Jazz” and has won the “America – Israel Cultural Foundation”(Keren Sharet) jazz performance award for young talents for 4 consecutive years (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009) as well as a scholarship from Berklee College of Music to attend both their Summer program and Full-Time Degree program.
In May 2008 he was selected as finalist to participate in the prodigious “Massimo Urbani International Jazz Award” in Italy, and after winning the first place, he got signed by the highly acclaimed Philology Jazz Records label (most noted for it’s works with Lee Konitz, Chet Baker and Phil Woods) under which he released his first album in trio.
The album “Portrait” (2009) is distributed in Europe, Israel, Japan and iTunes Music – it showcases Yakir’s own original jazz material alongside standards.
In recent years in his constant search for new sounds and new ways of expressing himself, Yakir has made a radical return to classical music, Studying under ‘Berklee College of Music’ Piano Chair Stephany Tiernan and composition Chair Arnold Friedman, composing and performing Avant-Garde classical music; appearing in various prestigious halls such as “Steinert Hall” in Boston, “Felicja Blumental Center” in Tel Aviv, and the “Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” in Washington. His compositions have been performed by the ‘Kalistos Chamber Orchestra’ and the ‘Triple Helix Piano Trio’.
