Bio
Ayal Adler
Prime Minister Award for Composers, 2008
Born in Jerusalem. After receiving a diploma in piano and composition from the Rubin Conservatory, he enrolled in the Jerusalem Rubin academy of Music. There, he completed a B.Mus. and an Artist Diploma in composition (with Honors). He then pursued a Doctoral degree in composition at McGill University in Montreal. Dr. Adler is a senior lecturer of composition and theory at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance since 2001. He held the positions of: Dean of Students of the Academy; Head of the composition department of the Cross- Disciplinary music program. He served at various committees, such as: Board of Trustees - Prime Minister Award; Doctoral Committee; Academic Affairs Committee, and others.
Mr. Adler wrote music in various genres, including solo, chamber, vocal and orchestral works. His recent work Resonating Sounds for large orchetsra was premiered by Daniel Barenboim and the West- Easten DIVAN Orchetsra in August 2014 at Lucerne Festival, Salzburg Festival and BBC Proms in London, and Colon Theater, Buenos Aires.
His music was performed in the United States; Canada; Germany; Finland; England; Spain; Czech Republic; Russia; Rumania; Croatia; Taiwan and South Korea. His works were performed in Israel by: Israeli Philharmonic orchestra (IPO), conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta; Camerata orchestra; Sinfonietta orchestra; Meitar Ensemble; Israel Contemporary Soloists, etc.
His works were performed in the International Festivals of ISCM (2005) and ACL (2008 and 2011). His work Gate of Darkness was performed in the 2012 Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival, and his new work Colors of dust was premiered at the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival in Berlin, April 2013.
He won several awards, including Prime Minister Award for Composers, 2008; "Achievement of the Year" award (Acum) for "Quintet" (2012); an Acum prize for Crystallization for large orchestra (2003); a Fulbright Grant for Doctoral Studies (1997); Dean's Honorary Prize (1996), etc.
He was also nominated Composer-in-Residence for: McGill Symphony (2000), McGill Chamber Orchestra (1999) and Visby International Center for Composers (summer of 2011). Four compact discs containing his works were released in recent years. His music is published by the Israeli Music Institute (IMI) and the Israeli Music Center (IMC). His works are often recorded and played in the Israeli Radio, and were played in Radio France and others. His works were commissioned by the Divan Orchetsra; Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival; Adele and John Gray Endowment Fund; Israel Camerata Orchetsra; Jerusalem Music Center; America -Israel Cultural Fund; Israeli Composers' League, and others.
Ayal Adler was the composer-in-residence for Meitar ensemble from 2006 -2012. Currently, he serves as the Ensemble's Advisor.
Education:
- 1997-2002: Doctorate in Music Composition (DMA), McGill University
- 1995-1997: Artist Diploma in Composition (with Honors), Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
- 1995-1991: -B.Mus in Composition, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance
- 1980-1986: Diploma in Piano, Jerusalem Conservatory of Music
Awards and Grants:
- Adele and John Gray Fund of AICF, grant for a new work for two pianos, 2010-
- Prime Minister Award for Composers, 2008
- Commission for Or Haganuz , for a large ensemble- Heritage Fund through AICF, 2008-
- ACUM Prizes for Symphonic Work (2013 and 2003)
- Exceptional Artist" Category- Returning Citizen, Misrad Haklita, 2001
- Alma Mater Travel Grant, McGill University, Graduate Studies and Research, 2001
- Julius Schloss Memorial Award, McGill University, Faculty of Music, 2000-
- Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Award, McGill University, 1999
- Herbert A. Morse Scholarship, McGill University, Faculty of Music, 1998
- Fulbright Grant for Doctoral Studies, America-Israel Cultural Fund, 1997
- Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Department of Theory: Dean's Honorary Prize for excellence in graduate studies and teaching, 1997
Festivals and special events:
- BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall London, August 2014
- Lucerne Festival, August 2014
- Salzburg Festival, August 2014
- Sound Ways, New Music Festival, St. Petersburg, November 2013
- Jerusalem International Chamber music Festival, September 2013, Jerusalem
- Intonations- Jerusalem International Chamber music Festival, May 2013, Berlin
- Jerusalem International Chamber music Festival, September 2012, Jerusalem
- Sounds of Israel Festival, Hamburg.; New Music Festival, Dresden. February 2012
- Desert Sounds Festival, Israel, January 2012
- Sound Ways, New Music Festival, St. Petersburg, November 2010 (Quintet for piano and ensemble)
- ACL (Asian Composers' League, part of ISCM) Festival, April 2008 (Reminiscence for violin and piano)
- New Music Festival, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Montreal, November 2007(Circles in Time for ensemble)
- Biennale- Festival of New Music, Tel Aviv Museum, November 2006 (Reminiscence for violin and piano)
- ISAM Festival, Michelstadt, Germany, August 2006 (Reminiscence for violin and piano)
- ISCM Festival of New Music, Zagreb, May 2005 (Shades.. to Colors for piano and string quartet)
- Contemporary Music Week, Prague, March 2003(Misterioso for piano)
- Biennale-Festival of New Music, Florida State University, Tallahassee, February 2001(Misterioso for piano)
- Biennale-Festival of New Music, Florida State University, Tallahassee, February 1999 (Dialogues for piano and chamber ensemble)
- Fifth Summer Course in Composition, Czech- American Summer Music Institute, Prague, July 1998 (Dialogues for piano and chamber ensemble)
Guest Lectures, Interviews and Broadcasts:
- Radio Interview, Deutschlandradio Kultur, Berlin, May 2013
- Hans Eisler Academy: guest lecture - presentation of my music, January 2010
- Radio France: broadcast of Dialogues and presentation of my music by Mr. David Herschel, March 2008
- Jerusalem Music Center: "Three Generations of Israeli Contemporary Music'', an opening lecture for Meitar Ensemble's annual concert, June 2007
- Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance: Composers' Forum, guest lecture, December 2006
- Tel Aviv University, Buchmann-Mehta School of Music: Composers' Forum, guest lecture, June 2006
- Guildhall School of Music: Composers' seminar, guest lecture, March 2006
- Kol Hamusika, Israeli Radio channel: interview, December 2003
- Prague Radio channel: interview, January 2003
- McGill Student Radio: interview, April 1998
Jury of Composition Competitions:
- Orchestral Competition (memory of Mark Kopytman)- Israeli Composers' League, 2013
- Orchestarl Competition, Buchmann- Mehta School of Music, 2011
- Keren Sharet" (of AICF) – Israeli Music Performance competition, 2011, 2009
- Gertrud Kraus, Music for Dance competition; Jerusalem Academy, Faculty of Theory and Composition, 2012, 2009
- "Keren Sharet' – Harp contest (par of "Spring Contests), 2009-
- "Daniel" competition for Orchestral Works,Sinfonnieta orchestra, 2008-
- Rimon School of Music,Composition competition, June 2007
- "Infinity", Composers' competition (Jerusalem Academy - Bank Hamizrachi), 2007
- Hannah Yador- Avni, Chamber Composition competition; Jerusalem Academy, Faculty of Theory, 2007-
- Gertrud Kraus, Dance competition; Jerusalem Academy, School of Dance, 2007
Artistic Activity as Composer-in-Residence and Adivor for Meitar Ensemble, from 2006:
- Advisor, regarding the ensemble's activities such as: "Tedarim" project for Young Composers; "Four Generations of Israeli Music", an annual concert, etc
- Lecturing before certain public, for example: "From St. Petersbourg to Jerusalem- London, 2006
- Selecting and commissioning new works from young composers for the annual concert series
Teaching Positions:
- Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance: 2001- Present
- Hed School of Music: 2007-2012
- Levinsky College for Education: 2003-2005
- McGill University, Faculty of Music: 1997-2001
Teaching Experience:
Jerusalem Academy, from 2001:
- Individual Composition
- Rudiments of Composition
- Twenty-Century Harmony and Analysis for Theory majors (style writing and analysis: Satie, Stravinsky, Debussy, Bartok, Hindemith, Messiaen, etc)
- Chromatic Harmony and Analysis
- Diatonic Harmony (for theory students/ Yetzira/ performers)
- Tonal Counterpoint (Violin Solo, Inventions, Chorale Variations and Fugue)
- Music and Dance for Choreographers
- Modal Counterpoint
- Ear Training (Yetzira students and classical performers)-
- Romantic Piano Music, Seminar for performers
Hed College of Music, from 2007:
- Diatonic Harmony
- Ear Training 3
- Music Repertoire
- Israeli Contemporary Music
McGill University, Faculty of Music, 1997-2001:
Administrative Experience, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance:
- Dean of Students, 2010- 12
- Coordinator, Cross- Disciplinary Music Department (Rav Thumi) - 2005-6
- Head of Yetzira (Composition) department, Cross- Disciplinary Music Department - 2006-7
Various Committees and Nominations:
- Board of Trustees, Prime Minister Award for Composers: 2013
- Doctoral Committee, Jerusalem Academy: 2010
- Academic Affairs Committee, Jerusalem Academy: 2010-2011; 2007-2008
- Board Member, Israel Composers' League (part of ISCM): 2002-2004; 2008- Present
- Composer-in –Residence, McGill Symphonic Orchestra (2001) and McGill Chamber Orchestra (1999)
Press Reviews:
BBC Culture, London. August 2014
"Ayal Adler- Resonating Soun' an article by Yossi Peles. BBC Proms program
The Guardian, London. August 2104
The Evening Standard, London. August 2014
The Classical Reviewer, London. August 2014
"Musical reminiscence: Ayal Adler's Resonating Sounds"- an article by Dr. Harald Hodeige. Lucerne Festival program
Jerusalem Post (Barry Davis), interviews before the premiere of Colors of Dust. August 2013
- Concert reviews, Ha'aretz, Galeria: November 2011; January 2010; October 2009; September 2009; October 2007; March 2006, etc
- Christiane Schwermer, the Darmstadler Zeitung, August 2006
- Yossi Peles, program notes, Israeli Contemporary Players, June 2006