Be'er Sheva
Bear native Avi Avital, the first mandolin soloist in classical music to receive a Grammy nomination, is often compared to Andres Segovia and Jascha Heifitz. He began playing the mandolin at the age of eight and joined the thriving youth orchestra under the direction of his charismatic teacher, Simcha Nathanson. He studied at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and at the Cesare Pollini Conservatory in Padua with Ugo Orlandi. As the winner of the prestigious Aviv Competition in 2007, he made history as the first award-winning mandolinist. His virtuosic performances of Baroque music and folk melodies, originally composed for other instruments, have earned him international acclaim. With his explosively charismatic stage presence and his dedication to expanding the mandolin repertoire, for which over 100 contemporary compositions have already been written, he is helping his instrument achieve renewed prominence on concert stages worldwide.