Yuval Shay-El Music | Israeli Composer
Yuval Shay-El (b. 1963) is an Israeli composer, pianist, trumpet player and physicist known for his original Israeli synthesis artistic composition techniques that combine classical, jazz, and folk music influences. Since 1983, he has written dozens of works for chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras. His compositions were performed by prestigious Israeli ensembles such as the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Chamber Series, Musica-Nova consort, Meitar Ensemble, Modalius Ensemble, Moran Singers Ensemble, and Tel-Aviv Renaissance Voices, among others, and have been broadcast on leading Israeli radio stations.He holds a master’s degree in music composition from Boston University and a PhD in meteorology from Tel-Aviv University. Among his principal composition teachers were Zvi Harry Nadel, Lukas Foss and Charles Fussell.
Some of his prominent compositions include "Symphony No. 1" for symphonic orchestra (2007), "String Quartet No. 2" (2009), which was premiered by "Spectrum Ensemble String Quartet" at the "Sounds in the Desert" festival in Sde Boker, "Kohelet" for mixed choir (2015), composed for the Tel-Aviv Renaissance Voices, in which he participates as a singer, "Vaahvtem et Hager" (2016), commissioned by Etty BenZaken and Modalius Ensemble for the Israeli Music Celebration, "Physis" (2020), a video-music art film in collaboration with video artists Meirav Heiman and Ayelet Carmi and Modalius Ensemble, and "Ruach" (2022), comissioned by Moran Ensemble and the Israeli Composers' League. As a jazz musician, he has performed for over 30 years on both trumpet and piano and recorded albums. His latest album "Symphony in Jazz Mode" features original jazz compositions structured in large-scale classical symphony form.
Ruach
Moran Singers
String Quartet No. 2
Spectrum Ensemble
Where the mind is without fear
Bracha Kol
Compositions click to show
Orchestral Music
Symphony No. 1, (2.2.2.2/2.2.1.0/2 Percs. & Strings) (2007, 48 min). pdf. video.
Symphony No. 1 – abridged version, (2.2.2.2/2.2.1.0/2 Percs. & Strings) (2007,2017, 20 min). pdf. video.
Symphonic Journey, (3.3.3.3/A. sax./4.3.2.1/3 Percs./2 Hps. & Strings) (1993, 13 min). Reading session, Boston Univ. Symphony Orchestra, Boston, 1993. pdf. video.
Suite for Orchestra, (2.2.2.2/3.2.1.0/3 Percs. & Strings) (1987, 18 min). Reading session, Boston Univ. Symphony Orchestra, Boston, 1991.
Overture for Orchestra, (2.1.1.1/2.2.1.0/2 Percs. & Strings) (1987, 6 min).
Tritonic Piece, for Two Trumpets and String Ensemble (1984, 5 min).
Vocal Music
Ruach, for mixed choir, drum and piano (2022, 12 min). Text in English: Ecclesiastes, Aristotle, the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Robert Louis Stevenson. Commissioned by Moran Singers Ensemble and the Israel Composers’ League. pdf. video. Info.
Tsipia (Anticipation), for voice, recorder and string orchestra (2021, 6 min). Text by Rachel Bluwstein. Dedicated to Bracha Kol. Composed as part of the soundtrack of the video-art piece “Zohara” by Meirav Heiman and Ayelet Carmi. pdf. video.
Tsipia (Anticipation), arrangement for voice, recorder and piano (2021, 7 min). pdf. video.
Physis, for voice and five instruments (2020, 6 min). Text in English by Robert Frost and Joyce Kilmer. Commissioned by Etty BenZaken and Modalius Ensemble for the Whole World Music-Video project in collaboration with video artists Meirav Heiman and Ayelet Carmi. pdf. video. info.
Where the mind is without fear, for voice, violin, and cello (2019, 8 min). Text by Rabindranath Tagore translated to Hebrew by Yuval Shay-El. pdf. video.
Vaahavtem Et Hager (And you are to love those who are foreigners), for voice and six instruments (2016, 10 min). Text in Hebrew from the Bible, the Koran, and the New Testament. Commissioned by Etty BenZaken and Modalius Ensemble for the Israeli Music Celebration, Jerusalem, 2016. pdf. video.
Kohelet (Ecclesiastes, chapter 11, in Hebrew), for mixed choir (SATB) a cappella (2015, 23 min). Tel-Aviv renaissance voices conducted by Alon Weber. 2015-2021. pdf. video.
Risim (Shalom Chanoch and Meir Ariel, in Hebrew), arrangement for mixed choir (SATB) and string quartet (2014, 4 min).
Ishto (“His wife”, Rachel), arranged for voice and piano (2009, 6 min). pdf. video.
Ishto (“His wife”, Rachel), for voice, clarinet, contrabass and piano (2004, 6 min). pdf.
Shir Hashirim (“Das Hohelied”, Heine, Tanny), for voice and piano (2003, 7 min). CD Recording, 2003. pdf. CD. Spotify.
Three Poems by Robert Frost, for voice and piano (1992, 10 min). Composition Recital, Boston, 1993. pdf. video1. video2.
Three Poems by Bialik, for voice and piano (1988, 10 min). Home concert, Ramat-Gan, 2009. pdf. video1. video2.
Chamber Music for 3 instruments or more
Three Musical Moments for Chamber Orchestra (fl, ob, cl, bn, hn, tpt, trb, perc, pno, 2 vln, vla, vcl, db) (2021, 6 min). pdf. video.
String Quartet No. 2 (2009, 25 min). Spectrum Ensemble String Quartet, Tslilim Bamidbar, Sde Boker, 2017. pdf. video.
Living the Past to the Future, arranged for violin, contrabass and piano (1995, 18 min). Israel Phil. Orch. Chamber Music Club, Tel Aviv, 1996. pdf. video.
Living the Past to the Future, for clarinet, cello and piano (1994, 18 min). Musica Nova Consort, Tel Aviv, 1995. Broadcast on Kol Hamusica. pdf. video1. video2.
Saxonata, for saxophone quartet (1994, 16 min). Boston, 1995. pdf. video.
Neichar (Foreign Land), for chamber septet (1992, 10 min). Boston University Chamber Winds, Boston 1993. Israeli premiere by Musica Nova Consort. pdf. audio.
Time Energy, for wind quintet (1992, 10 min). Boston University New Music Ensemble, Boston 1993. pdf. video(2024). video(1993).
Brass Quintet, for two trumpets, horn, and two trombones (1985, 5 min).
Chamber Music for 1-2 instruments
Israeli Suite for Cello Solo (2022, 15 min). Dedicated to Udi Weber. pdf.
From the Earth, for cello and bass (2021, 6 min). pdf. video.
To make a long story short - Sonata brevis for Piano Solo (2018, 1min). Dedicated to Hagai Yodan. pdf. audio. info.
Samba de Ramat-Gan, for four-hand piano (2017, 4 min). Israeli Music Festival, Ramat-Gan, 2017. pdf. video.
Two Bagatelles for Piano Solo (2017, 3 min). Israeli Music Festival, Ramat-Gan, 2017. pdf. video.
Sonatina for Guitar and Cello, (2008, 7 min). pdf. audio.
Spaces in Motion, arranged for violin and clarinet (2007, 14 min). Meitar Ensemble, Israeli Music Celebration, Ashkelon, 2008. pdf. video.
Symphony No. 1, 1st Movement, transcribed for four-hand piano (2006, 14 min). Kanazawa-Admony Piano Duo, Home Concert, Ramat-Gan, 2006. pdf.
Sonata for Violin and Piano (2004, 18 min). CD recording, 2005. pdf. CD. Spotify.
Suite for Piano Solo, in six movements (2003, 19 min). CD recording, 2004. pdf. CD. Spotify.
Eight Easy Duets for Violin and Cello (2003, 10 min). CD recording, 2004. pdf. CD. Spotify.
Sonatina, for trumpet and piano (1998, 7 min). pdf. audio.
Prelude, for guitar solo (1997, 6 min). pdf. audio.
Dialogue in Minor, for flute and Contrabass (1997, 5 min).
Real Time, for clarinet solo (1996, 7 min). Nocturnal Concert (“Hitrachashut Layleet”), Ramat Hasharon, 1996.
Three Moods, for contrabass solo (1995, 17 min).
Tribal Dance, for flute solo (1995, 5 min).
Spaces in Motion, for oboe and clarinet (1995, 14 min).
Impressions, five short pieces for piano (1992, 8 min). Composition Recital, Boston 1993. pdf. video.
Concertino for Trombone and Percussion (1990, 12 min).
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1986, 10 min). Ramat Hasharon, 1988. Broadcast on Kol Hamusica. pdf. video.
Sonata-Fantasia No. 2 for piano solo (1986, 10min). Ein-Hod Artists' Village, 1987. CD recording, 2020. pdf. audio. info.
Five Short Pieces for piano solo (1990, 8min). CD recording, 2022. pdf. info.
Six Short Pieces for piano solo (1987, 6min). CD recording, 2021. pdf. audio. info.
Dodecaphonic Miniature No. 5 for Piano Solo (1984, 2min). pdf. video.
Dodecaphonic Miniature in Jazz Style for Trumpet and Piano (1984, 2min). video.
Albums
Yuval Shay-El
Symphony in Jazz Mode
Zoom Out Band
Songbook
Yuval Shay-El Trio
One Song One Dance
Atmos Trio