About Me
Composer, arranger, perfrormer, and classical guitarist Ariel Lazarus was born on February 18, 1977 in Rehovot, Israel. His Sephardic mother is from Gibraltar and his Ashkenazi father is a first-generation Israeli, son of a Holocaust survivor. By the age of 15, he was playing the guitar, writing poetry, and teaching himself to compose songs. He went on to study at the Hed College of Contemporary Music in Tel Aviv, initially majoring in jazz guitar.He studied classical guitar with Maestro Yaron Hason a world-class classical guitarist who introduced him to the aesthetics and techniques of the classical guitar. In 1999, Lazarus received the Hed Award to record a song broadcast on major Israeli radio stations. In recognition of the broadcasts, he was inducted into the National Guild of Composers (ACUM).In the Spring 2002, a concert of his compositions for a 10-player ensemble was given in Tel Aviv. Following that he was offered a scholarship at the Oklahoma City University masters in composition program where he studied with Dr. Edward Knight. Over the last three years in the United States, he has performed with his ensemble and other international groups in various venues in the US, Gibraltar, and Israel.In June 2004, Lazarus performed an orchestral suite he wrote for chamber ensemble, classical guitar and cantor as part of the tricentennial celebrations of British Gibraltar. His concert was one of three official musical events of the summer; the other two were Elton John and Suzanne Vega. The suite was dedicated to Lazaruss grandfather Abraham Beniso, a world-renowned Sephardic cantor from Gibraltar.In April 2005, Lazarus was commissioned to write a piece for the town of Lübbecke, Germany, in memory of its Holocaust victims and survivors. Among the survivors was his great-grandfather, who was the towns choir conductor. Lazarus premiered the piece with members of the Lübbecke Symphony Orchestra later that year.Earlier this year, Lazarus released his first CD, Keter Malchut: Sephardic Prayers and Songs. Under his direction, an international ensemble of 11 musicians brought to life the haunting world of sound of the Jewish communities across the Mediterranean. For more information about the recording, go to www.cdbaby.com/alazarus, or www.jewishmusic.com.Lazarus conducted the world premier of his first full symphony entitled "Sefarad" last December, with members of the Oklahoma City University symphony orchestra in front of a full auditorium, following that he received the master of music degree from the Oklahoma City University.
The "Keter Malchut" project has recently recieved its Israeli premiere with shows in Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. for the upcoming concert season Ariel will be invited as aspecial guest to perform with the Ra'anana Symphony orchestra.
