Or Yissachar

Or Yissachar

Pianist and composer Or Yissachar (b. 1991, Holon) started his piano studies with Dalia Harel and composition studies with Michael Damian, PhD. In 2013 he started piano studies with Prof. Arnon Erez. In 2015 he started composition studies with Prof. Joseph Bardanashvilli. He has also been tutored by Hana Shalgi.
Among the workshops and masterclasses where he participated are Tel Hai – Israel, Primavera Pianistica – Belgium, Coimbra – Portugal and IMWAF – Germany. He also had masterclasses with Michael Wladkowski, Mikhail Khokhlov, Amir Katz, Einav Yarden, Michal Tal, Tomer Lev, Assaf Zohar, Aquiles delle Vigne, Viktor Derevianko, André Schub, Eugene Elkalay and others. Or is a laureate of the America-Israel Culture Fund scholarship.
He won 1st prize in the Paul Ben Haim Israeli music performance competition, 2nd prize in the Israeli contemporary competition with Radzynski’s Canto, 2nd prize in the Israeli Chamber Music competition with Michael Damian’s quintet Carta, 2nd prize in the Piano Talents competition in Milan, 3rd prize in the Zanuccoli competition and others.
Or’s pieces were played in Israel and abroad, including by the Meitar Ensemble. He also won, among other composition competitions, 1st prize in the Israeli Composition Competition organized by the Shtriker conservatory, 2nd prize in the Alotin competition for his piece Fughetta Burlesque con variazioni and made it to the finals of the Dvorak competition in Prague with his piece Water Images, where he spent 5 days in the intensive finals to compose two pieces. Or also participated in the Zlil Meudkan composition festival, organized by the 21 Century Ensemble.
In addition, he was granted the Tel Aviv University’s Dean excellence award, four times granted an excellence scholarship by the university and granted the Holon Mayor Magen prize and the Holon Mayor excellence scholarship for students and artists.
Among the halls where he performed are Clairmont Hall and Shtriker – Tel Aviv, the Edem-Tamir Ein Karem Center and Mishkenot Sha’ananim – Jerusalem, the Holon Theater, the Rishon LeZion Culture Hall, Raatsaal Hall – Germany, the Coimbra Conservatory Hall – Portugal and Casa Verdi – Milan. He also played several times in the Israeli Music Festival, the “Youth in the Center” (Zeirim BaMerkaz) program and the Excellence Concert in Ein Karem (both were broadcasted on the national radio).
Or played under the baton of Ovidiu Balan and the Bacau Philharmonic Orchestra and Bernhard Forck in the Israeli premiere of Telemann’s Orpheus.
Or encourages contemporary, especially Israeli music, while giving it exposure and stage in competitions, festivals and concerts. He is the first to upload to YouTube recordings of certain pieces, such as Radzynski’s Canto and Damian’s Carta quintet.
Among his original repertoire pieces are the Scènes d’Enfance wind quintet, Hexagons piano trio, the Water Images sextet, the Coimbra Lights octet, 4 piano sonatas and other solo, chamber and orchestral works.
In addition, Or served in the IDF and was released from service with distinction. He speaks 5 different languages.
Or is a graduate BA student of the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Tel Aviv university.