I was born and raised in the hot desert climate of Israel in the Tel-Aviv suburbs of Herzelia. I woke up one summer morning to find that a big-brown piece of furniture with black and white keys had moved into my house, and so at the age of 6 I started playing the piano and haven’t been able to stop since! I spent my first years learning and playing mainly classical music and holiday songs on special occasions to the amusement of the clan elders and their friends.
In high-school, I studied music with the music department and gained a lot of experience as an accompanist / composer and arranger for singers and theatre productions under the supervision of the great Shay Ben Jacob.
After high-school, I started studies at the Rimon School Of Jazz And Contemporary music, majoring in composition and arrangement. I studied under Israel’s finest musicians such as Rafi Kadishzon, Eli Benacot (of the band Orient), Ofer Purtugaly, producer Loui Lahav and lyricist Ehud Manor. I continued to gain experience as an accompanist to singers in ensembles, shows, auditions and contests and at the same time I started to work at the Beit Zvi School Of Performing Arts as an accompanist to vocal lessons and auditions.
To gain more experience with musical theatre and original score composing I started working with acting and directing students, composing and arranging short student theatre projects at the Theatre Arts department of the Kibbutzim college of education. I also started working as an accompanist and musical director for various types of projects including cabaret shows, original music performances, poetry related projects, small theatre productions and studio related projects.
During my last year as a student at “Rimon” I created my first vocal group called “Salt & Water (“מלח מים”), performing well known songs from Israeli repertoire across Israel and abroad. Around that time I started working on a giant “Best of Queen” tribute show, led by Ofer Purtugaly, as an assistant musical director/arranger/pianist. I also joined Ofer & Iris Portugaly’s show – “Gospel Jazz” as a Tenor / Baritone singer, performing on stage without a piano in my hand for the first time(!).
Through my work as musical director in projects of all sizes, managing professional musicians, young actors, aspiring high-school musicians, music conservatoires and amateur musicians, I gained plenty of experience with working with large groups, pushing and inspiring people to reach their potential.
In the year 2010, I got the opportunity to close a circle and return to my homebase at “Rimon” – this time as a teacher and a musical director to a vocal ensemble. After that I decided I want to broaden my horizons as a musician and as a person (off course), by moving to London to focus on the theatre world and familiarize myself with a new culture.
As my final project in Israel I decided I to form a “Super-Group” of musicians – singers and instrumentalists – and produce a mega show showcasing my original composition comprised of songs I had composed for different projects along the past 8 years, followed by a studio album recording of chosen songs from this event. On Sep. 4th I had my big show at the Givata’im Theatre, consisting of a chorus of 25 singers, 6 of those lead singers, a 7 piece brass section and a 4 piece rhythm section with me playing the piano and singing. At the end of the show my debut album was offered for purchasing.
Having accomplished that, two days later I was on a plane on the way to London to begin my next journey.
Now, I am a musician prowling the badlands, searching my way through the London music scene…