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The Israeli soprano, Ye'ela [Yeela] Avital, was born in Jerusalem, the youngest of seven children. At the age of eight she joined the Ankor Children's Choir and became its youngest singer. She traveled abroad with the choir where she was noted for her unique voice and on occasion performed as a soloist. Her unique talents shone as she gained a quiet notoriety with a following of fans who claimed that once her voice was heard it was never forgotten. She continued studying voice while performing throughout Israel and abroad. Singing in the choir provided her with a firm base that proved her with a valuable tool as a performer in the future. She also studied piano for ten years at the Music Academy of Jerusalem where her unique talents as a musician came to light. Playing the piano together with singing proved a huge value in the development of her voice and enhanced her ability to teach voice to her students. Following two years of service in the Israel Defence Force, she began formal studies in the Jerusalem Music Academy with a major in Vocals, a natural decision following the many years in the Ankor Children's Choir. She earned both Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees from the Rubin Music Academy in Jerusalem under the guidance of Pnina Schwartz, Miriam Meltzer, Marina Levitt and Efrat Ben-Nun. She pursued advance studies at and the Hochschule für Musik in Mainz, Germany. She has been awarded the coveted scholarship from the American Israeli Cultural Foundation annually since 1998, as well as the award for excellence in voice in the Baroque style. In 2010, she became an examiner in the Foundation.
Today Yeela Avital is known across the country as the outstanding singer in the field of Baroque . Her followers in Israel are many and growing in number as they loyally attend her performances. Together with her fine technical abilities, Yeela is gifted with an outstanding musical talent which brings out the “heart of hearts” of the piece she is performing. Her singing creates a stir in the audience while an “outer being experience” is felt - the true meaning art at its best. She sings Israeli classics that include the works of Natan Alterman to the score of Sasha Argov, Leah Goldberg, songs written by Rachael and others. These works are performed together with the guitarist Roi Chen and occasionally with the ensemble Barrocade. The works have numerous renditions and with Yeela’s voice are known as unique classics. Her repertoire ranges from antique to modern music and includes many of J.S. Bach’s cantatas, Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) ,St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and St. John Passion (BWV 245) and more. From works by George Frideric Handel: The Messiah, Samson, Shaul, Gloria and others; Purcel: The Queen of the Fairies and many others; W.A. Mozart: Requiem and Large Mass as well as other works.
Yeela Avital performs as a soloist in the Abu Gosh festival, the Kfar Bloom Festival, Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival, Festival for Early Music in York and Cambridge in England, Festival for Antique Music in Croatia and Mozart Festival in Germany, where she won the acclaim of the critics. She performs and records across the country as a soloist with the Barrocade ensemble with whom she recorded the motte Laudate Pueri by Antonio Vivaldi, the recording came out in 2007 as well as with the ensemble “Nobile” who specialize in antique music. She has produced a disc with the “Atar” trio titled “When the light in your window shines”. She has performed with many orchestras both in Israel and the world numbering the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra, Israel Camerata Orchestra Jerusalem, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Israel Kibbutz Orchestra, Rannana Symphony Orchestra, Royal Prague Orchestra, early music orchestra of Holland and more, singing under the baton of many that including René Jacobs, Andrew Parrott, Timothy Brown, Matthew Halls, Peter Schreier and more.
In September 2004, Yeela Avital won the International Competition that was held in Belgium and in September 2008 she performed together with the “Novella” ensemble in the Festival for Antique music that took place in Croatia. This concert won wide acclaim and received the prize for the best concert performed. In April 2010, she performed at the Wigmor hall in London and she was especially noted in the reviews of the performances. In 2010 also performed in Venice, Budapest, Sophia and the USA.
Today Yeela continues to perform while teaching at the High Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem.and raising her family in the outskirts of Jerusalem. |
