HAREL SHACHAL
MUSICIAN (CLARINET)
Musician, composer and Clarinet player Harel Shachal is a leading voice in today’s growing Jazz-middle-eastern artistic scene, worldwide.
His devotion to the old tradition of Middle-eastern music (Maqam) as well as his knowledge of Jazz are the basis to the unique approach he presents via his oriental Clarinet.
In 2002 Shachal became a faculty member at the ‘New School’ for Jazz and Contemporary Music (NY) where he created the Mid-east ensemble and directed the world music ensemble. During this time he formed ‘Anistar’ with the vision of fusing Mid-eastern and Jazz music. This nonet ensemble immerged with a singular and unique voice performing at Symphony Space, Lincoln Center, Tichman Hall and ‘The Knitting Factory’.
Harel’s music has since taken him around the world to perform in ‘Festival Nuits du Sud’ (France), ‘Festival Internacional Cervantino' (Mexico), Jewish Museum (Berlin) and ׳Ulmer zelt׳ Music Fest (Germany), just to name a few .
As an Israeli musician Shachal has performed and recorded with some of the country’s leading musicians - Dudu Tasa, The Balkan beat box, Ahuva Ozery, Avraham Tal and Ilay Botner. His compositions and playing have been featured as film scores to ‘Pretty persuasion’ (Director: Marcus Siega), ‘Ananada’ (2016) ,
’August’ (2011) and ‘Israel without boarders’ (2000). Harel’s soundtracks to theatre include ’Stephan’ (1997) and ’Oil on canvas’ - winner of the National Fringe Theatre prize (1999).
Shachal currently lives in Israel and is a faculty member at the ‘Israeli Music
Conservatory’ (Tel-Aviv) and at the ‘Maqamat’ Academy for Middle-eastern music (Tzfat).
Harel devotes his time to his workshop ‘The Art of the Maqam’ as well as performances with his ensembles - ‘The Harel Shachal trio’,
‘The Ottomans’, ‘Anistar’ and his ‘Sufi Orchestra’.
These days Shachal is working on a new album with his group 'the Ottomans' and with 'The Harel Shachal trio' planing a tour next year with new material.