About Me
Matan Yona, 32, is a conductor, composer, arranger and orchestrator.
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He began his musical studies at the municipal conservatory in Petach Tikvah, in the class of the trombonist Mr. Alex Chichelnitski. During his studies, he played in various musical ensembles and orchestras, and received several excellence scholarships. At the same time, he studied with Mr. Micha Davis, the bass trombone player of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
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He served in the IDF Orchestra (2010-2013), first as a trombone player and later as the orchestra's musical arranger and the conductor's assistant. Currently he works with the orchestra as a musical arranger and conducting in the reserves service.
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After he finished his military service, he began to play as a freelance with orchestras and ensembles in Israel and around the world.
Yona has a bachelor degree in composition and orchestral conducting From Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. He studies orchestral conducting under the direction of Dr. Eugene Tsirlin, and composition under the direction of Dr. Ayal Adler, Prof. Menachem Wiessenberg, Dr. Joseph Bardanashvilly and Mr. Tal Yardeni. During his studies he got several excellence scholarships from "Siday Fellowship for Musical Creativity", "The Goldberg Charitable", and won the Dean of the Faculty's prize for the Academic year 2017-2018. He also won 2nd prize – The Mark Kopytman Composition Competition, held by the Academy (2016) and 1st prize – The 2nd National Composition Competition, held by the Israel Conservatory Tel Aviv (2017).
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Since 2016, Yona is working as a conductor in the Jerusalem Orchestra East and West, and since 2018 holding the position of Conductor in Residence in the orchestra, conducting dozens of concerts a year, cooperating with many artists in a wide variety of musical genres.
Yona is invited on a regular basis as a conductor and musical director to concerts with the top professional orchestras in Israel: The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel Sinfonietta Be’er Sheva, Ra’anana Symphonette, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, ETC, and as a freelance in festivals, shows and special events.
Yona is also a prolific arranger, composer and orchestrator, writing music and orchestral arragements for the top Orchestras, Ensembles and Theatres in Israel and abroad. His works were played by: The Metropole Orchestra (Netherlands), Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Chroningen Philharmonic Orchestra (Netherlands), Bukarest Symphony Orchestra (Romania), Palermo Theatre Orchestra (Italy), Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Orchestra East and West, The Camerata Orchestra, Israel Sinfonietta Be’er Sheva, Ra’anana Symphonette, Habima Theate, The Cameri Theate, Be’er Sheva Theatre, IDF orchestra, Meitar Ensemble, Tremolo Ensemble and ETC.