Musicעודד זהבי

Oded Zehavi

Oded Zehavi is an Israeli composer, arranger and pianist who founded the music department at the University of Haifa, where he is a professor.

born 1961Concert, theater and film musicFounding Haifa University's music departmentRadio program on Kol Hamusica

Born: 2 February 1961, Jerusalem
Occupation: pianist, composer
Education: Stony Brook University, University of Pennsylvania, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance

Oded Zehavi was born in 1961 in Jerusalem

Zehavi was born in Jerusalem in 1961 to Alex and Pnina Zehavi. His father was the brother of the journalist Nathan Zehavi and the scientist Avinoam Zehavi.

He studied composition with Andre Hajdu, George Crumb and Sheila Silver, and theory with Eugene Narmour and Leonard Meyer. He completed his PhD in 1993.

Since then he has written concert music and music for theater, dance, film and television. His works have been played by orchestras such as the Kirov Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He was once the house composer of the Israel Camerata Jerusalem and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.

In 1995 he founded the music department at the University of Haifa and chaired it until 2006. He also teaches at the Rimon School. From 2012 he co-hosted a weekly program on Kol Hamusica with Amnon Rubinstein, and from 2018 to 2022 he was artistic director of the Israeli Music Festival.

He is married and a father of 2.

Milestones in Oded Zehavi's life

1961
Born in Jerusalem.
1993
Completed his PhD.
1994
Wrote the score for Amnon Rubinstein's film After the Holidays.
1995
Founded the music department at the University of Haifa.
2004
Received the Rosenblum Prize.
2006
Ended his term as department chair.
2012
Began co-hosting a weekly program on Kol Hamusica.
2018
Wrote his Flute Concerto No. 2 and became artistic director of the Israeli Music Festival.