Tal, Michal

Israeli. Pianist. As one of Israel’s leading pianists, she has served since 2004, as the vice-director of the Givatayim Conservatory. Michal teaches, coaches and lectures at the Thelma Yelin High School for the Arts, the Jerusalem Music Center and the Tel Aviv Academy of Music. For many years she has promoted musical education in Israel. Michal Tal enjoys a versatile career as a soloist, chamber musician and as a devoted performer of new music.
Coming from a musical family, Michal started her piano lessons at the age of five. At the age of 16 she performed as a soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. She studied at The Tel Aviv Academy of Music, and from 1983-1988 at Indiana University, and also in New York at The Juilliard School, and SUNY at Stony Brook with Richard Goode, Leon Fleischer, Richard Goode and Gilbert Kalish. She was coached by Janos Starker, Joseph Gingold, James Buswell, Julius Levinne and Ray De Roche. She gave masterclasses and special coaching in the United States. She finished the PHD in Jerusalem at Hebrew University (2005). She has played with all the leading orchestras in Israel as well as many other orchestras, such as the Virginia and Dallas Symphonies, the Strasbourg Philharmonic, the Munster Symphony and the Dutch Radio Orchestra. She played under the baton of Leonard Slatkin, Eduardo Mata and Luciano Berio. She participated in numerous concerts and special festivals such as Carnegie Recital Hall, the Tel Aviv Museum, the Tanglewood festival, Lincoln Center “Focus” Festival, the festival for Israeli Music in KÖLN, the Israel Festival and the Kefar Blum Chamber Music Festival. She has recorded live and in studio more than 40 recordings for Israel Broadcasting Authorities since 1979. Michal Tal is the prize winner of many competitions such as the first prize at the, international competition in Dallas, the Jerusalem Symphony Competition first prize, and the Ministry of Education and culture prize in 2000 and 2005.
Michal Tal collaborates with many Israeli composers. Recently, 4 new CDs of Israeli new music has been released by her. In 2003, she founded the Israeli Chamber Music Club, specializing in Israeli new music. The ICMC has won recently the ministry of culture special prize. Michal’s myspace page is: www.myspace.com/pianistal .
Michal is married to the conductor Shlomo Tintpulver and has two children: Shiri, 12 years old, and Yonatan, 8. Both are playing cello and violin, and participating in the musical activities of their parents.
http://www.michaltal.com
www.myspace.com/pianistal