Nabeel Hayek

Nabeel Hayek is an acclaimed pianist and First Prize laureate of the 23rd José Iturbi International Piano Competition in València, Spain. Born in 2001 in Nazareth, Israel, he has established a distinguished career as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, collaborative pianist, and educator, with performances across Europe, Asia, and the United States.

 

As a soloist, Nabeel has appeared with the Orquestra de València, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra – Rishon Lezion, and Galilee Chamber Orchestra, working with conductors including Uri Segal, Yoni Farhi, Yaron Gottfried, Stanley Sperber, and Saleem Ashkar. He has also represented the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in recitals in the United States and has performed twice for the Arthur Rubinstein International Music Society. His international appearances include recitals in Hong Kong, Europe, and the United States, with performances regularly broadcast on Kan Voice of Music, Israel's classical music radio station.

 

Nabeel has participated in prestigious musical institutions and festivals including the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Lieven Piano Foundation in Vienna, and Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Society. His achievements include numerous prizes in national piano competitions in Israel, including the Kan Voice of Music Young Artist Piano Competition, Piano Forever Ashdod Piano Competition, Maurice M. Clairmont Piano Competition, Tel Hai International Piano Masterclasses Concerto Competition, and the Arianna Katcz Piano Competition at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. He is also a laureate of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, Zefunot Tarbut, Polyphony Foundation, and Lieven Piano Foundation in Vienna.

 

A dedicated chamber musician, Nabeel has represented The Juilliard School in a masterclass at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He is also an experienced collaborative pianist and professional vocal accompanist, and has devoted himself to music education, teaching young students throughout his undergraduate studies.

 

Nabeel holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv University, where he studied with Arie Vardi and Asaf Zohar, and a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School, where he studied with Julian Martin. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at The Juilliard School. Since 2017, he has received invaluable mentorship from Maestro Murray Perahia at the Jerusalem Music Centre.

 

As a Christian Arab citizen of Israel, Nabeel feels a strong sense of responsibility toward his community and aspires to introduce it to the rich world of classical music. He embraces his role as a cultural ambassador, striving to bridge the gap between unfamiliarity and appreciation. His artistic vision is rooted in a love of diverse musical genres and a constant pursuit of artistic growth, with a particular interest in 20th-century and contemporary music. Beyond music, his intellectual interests include philosophy, theology, classical literature, and the visual arts, all of which contribute to his broad and thoughtful approach to artistic expression.