Nabeel Hayek

Nabeel Hayek

Nabeel Hayek, born in 2001 in Nazareth, Israel holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv University, where he studied under Profs. Arie Vardi and Asaf Zohar. He is currently pursuing his Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School in the class of Prof. Julian Martin. Additionally, Nabeel has been receiving mentorship from Maestro Murray Perahia at the Jerusalem Music Centre since 2017.

Nabeel's outstanding talent has been recognized through numerous prizes in national piano competitions, such as the Kan Voice of Music Young Artist Piano Competition (2017), which led to his debut recital in Hong Kong, Piano Forever Ashdod Piano Competition (2017 and 2020), Maurice M. Clairmont Piano Competition (2020), Tel Hai International Piano Masterclasses Concerto Competition (2018), and the Arianna Katcz Piano Competition at The Buchmann-mehta School of Music (2022). He is also a laureate of foundations such as America-Israel Cultural Foundation, Zefunot Tarbut, Polyphony Foundation, and the Lieven Piano Foundation in Vienna.

Nabeel regularly performs recitals broadcasted on Kan Voice of Music, the Israeli classical music radio station. He has performed twice for the Arthur Rubinstein International Music Society and has represented the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in recitals in the USA. Nabeel has had the privilege of performing with renowned orchestras in Israel, including the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel Symphony Orchestra – Rishon Lezion, and Galilee Chamber Orchestra, under the batons of Uri Segal, Yoni Farhi, Yaron Gottfried, Stanley Sperber, and Saleem Ashkar.

Alongside his thriving performance career, he is very passionate about chamber music. He has recently represented the Juilliard School in a masterclass at Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Nabeel has demonstrated his passion for education by sharing his musical knowledge with young children as a dedicated teacher throughout his Bachelor's degree. He has also excelled as a professional vocal accompanist, showcasing his versatility and ability to collaborate with other musicians.

Furthermore, as a Christian Arab citizen in Israel, Nabeel feels a strong sense of responsibility towards his community. He aspires to introduce his community to the rich world of classical music, embracing his role as a cultural ambassador and striving to bridge the gap between unfamiliarity and appreciation. Nabeel's vision as a pianist is deeply rooted in his love for diverse musical genres and his constant pursuit of artistic growth. He finds particular inspiration in 20th-century and contemporary music, relishing the challenges they present and consistently seeking to explore new genres and ideas.

Beyond his musical endeavours, Nabeel's intellectual curiosity extends to philosophy, theology, classic literature, and the visual arts. These varied interests enrich his artistic expression and contribute to his well-rounded approach as a pianist.