Yakir Arbib
Biography Yakir Arbib
Yakir Arbib
Just recently moved to Paris, Yakir has quickly won the attention of the press. His virtuosity on the piano and his original “schizophrenia” between jazz and classical music are quickly gaining him more and more followers.
Dubbed by the press as “king of improvisation” and his JMS debut ‘My Name is Yakir’ receiving “Album of the Year” by Telerama, one can never expect what comes next during a Yakir Arbib concert: A Bach Prelude? An improvisation over Beethoven or Charlie Parker? His most recent composition? Or is he going to suddenly ask his audience to give him a melody which he will take on a spontaneous journey of colors and sounds?
Equally versed both in classical music and jazz, Yakir is four-time winner of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation for young talents (2006-2009), winner of the “Massimo Urbani International Jazz Award” (2008) and was signed at age 19 by the European “Philology Jazz Records” (Chet Baker, Lee Konitz and Phil Woods) under which he released his debut album in trio “Portrait”.
In July 2015 he won the Second Prize at the Montreux International Piano Jazz Competition, and was declared as “the most extremely original pianist” by the Jury – resulting in an invitation to perform with internationally renowned musicians Al Jarreau, Nils Petter Molvaer and Kurt Rosenwinkel.
Yakir collaborates with artists such as Roberto Giaquinto, Chris Cheek, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Fred Johnson, Darren Barrett, Al Jarreau, Luca Bulgarelli, Chen Zimbalista, Francesco Fiore, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Kalistos Chamber Orchestra and the Stradivari String Sextet.
He has appeared in venues such as the ‘Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ (Washington D.C.), ‘Tanna Schulich Hall’ (Montreal), the ‘Jerusalem Theater’ (Jerusalem), ‘Montreux Palace Theater’ (Montreux), and the ‘Auditorium Parco della Musica’ (Rome) among others. He has been featured on radio stations worldwide such as “CIBL 101,5” (Montreal, Canada), “TSF Jazz”, “France Musique” (France), “RTS” (Switzerland), “Rai Radio 3″ (Italy”, “Radio Vaticana” (The Vatican), “Dobop” (Israel), on Italian national tv,TV 2000, SKY CLASSICA and Medici tv.
His compositions are commissioned by ensembles such as ‘ALEA III’, ‘The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra’, ‘Triple Helix Piano Trio’ and the ‘Stradivari String Sextet’ among others.
Yakir holds a BM Cum Laude in Piano and Composition from “Berklee College of Music” in Boston.
