Hillel Zori

One of Israel’s eminent musicians, active also as composer and conductor, cellist Hillel Zori, who has been hailed

by the international press to “have his playing linked directly to the Jewish- שromantic tradition”, has internationally

distinguished himself as winner of the gold medal at the Canals Competition in Barcelona, a laureate of the Geneva-CIEM,

the Whitaker and the Cremona-Premio Stradivari competitions, as well as winner of the Dutilleux prize at the Rostropovich

competition and the Jackson Award at Tanglewood Music Center.

A consecutive awardee of the America Israel Cultural Foundation (AICF), he studied with Uzi Wiesel at the Tel Aviv Rubin

Academy and later at the New England Conservatory in the US with Bernard Greenhouse. His vast repertoire spans from Bach

cello suites to contemporary music including numerous world and Israeli premieres from solo works to cello concerti.

Since his 1984 debut with the Israel philharmonic, Zori has been featured as soloist with all of Israel ‘s orchestras

and ensembles as well as orchestras abroad such as the Dusseldorf Symphony, the Bremen Kamerphilharmonie, the BBC

Scottish Symphony, the RTV Slovenia, the Israeli Contemporary Players, the Tokyo Ensemble Kochi and the Philadelphia

Chamber Orchestra to name a few, performing with prominent conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Shalon, Brotons, Sloane,

Paternostro, Brabins, Volkov, Welber, Biron, Sheriff and many more.

As an avid chamber musician and as the last cellist of the celebrated Israel Piano Trio, he has toured the globe extensively,

being guest in major festivals such as Marlboro, Tanglewood, AIMS Spain, Keshet Eilon, Jerusalem, Istanbul and Dartington

festivals, collaborating with celebrated artists such as Tabea Zimmermann, Shmuel Ashkenazi, Hagai Shaham, Atar Arad,

Pnina Saltzmann, Eugene Drucker and Vadim Gluzmann to name a few. His versatile activities have brought him to major

centers and venues such as the Wigmore Hall, the Carnegie Zankel Hall, the Tel Aviv Museum, the Moscow Music Dome,

the Villa Musica (Germany) and the UN General Assembly Hall in NY performing Bruch Kol Nodrei under the baton of Zubin

Mehta for the 2009 International Holocaust Memorial Day.

As a composer, he wrote a virtuoso suite for cello and orchestra on themes from the opera Carmen, a Ladino Medley

for strings, a string trio, “Carmel”- songs and verses for voice and chamber ensemble, “Choshen” for 12 celli and a cello

concerto premiered in the “Israeli Music Festive Days” with the Jerusalem Kameratta and Ilan Volkov. His adaptation of

Wiesenberg’s “Monodialogue”- Fantasy for viola, (dedicated to Tabea Zimmermann) was published by Schott Music in 2005.

As a conductor he has conducted the Ra’anana Symphonette, the Israel Camerata, the Israel Youth Philharmonic orchestra

and the Beer-Sheva Sinfonietta among other.

As a recording artist he was featured on the BBC3, the IBA and the SWR radio stations, and his album for Cello Classics

“Inspirals”, cellists –composers’ anthology, was selected by the BBC as a January 2014 “CD of the Week”.

A most sought-after pedagogue Hillel Zori serves as professor and Head of Strings at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music,

Tel Aviv University. Many of his students are winners of national and international competitions as well as important

positions. Mr. Zori is also frequently invited to present masterclasses around the world as well as serving as juror for national

and international competitions.