Yotam Haran

Photo by 24 Classics and Raymond van Mil

Yotam's first encounter with historically informed performance (HIP) took place at the Jerusalem Early Music Workshop of 2007, and he began taking lessons with baroque cellist Orit Messer shortly afterwards. Following the completion of his bachelor studies on modern cello at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance in 2015 (under the instruction of Prof. Zvi Plesser and Mrs. Michal Korman), he continued to master studies in HIP at the Conservatory of Amsterdam with Prof. Viola de Hoog (completed in 2017). During the last few years, Yotam's focus has been shifting from HIP of baroque music towards HIP of nineteenth-century repertoire. This has led him not only to the formation of his Duo Majorana, specializing in late nineteenth-century French repertoire, but also to his doctoral research project which will take place under the supervision of Dr. Anna Scott. Other groups Yotam plays in include the Nymphes et Monstres ensemble, focused on early eighteenth-century French repertoire, and the Zeehelden string quartet. Yotam's master research, supervised by Drs. Andrea Friggi and Jed Wentz, focused on Luigi Boccherini's cello sonata G1, and his work has received many compliments for the quality of both research and writing. He is currently taking cello lessons with cellist Job ter Haar.

A receiver of America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarships for the years 2009 to 2018, Yotam has participated in masterclasses with leading figures in the HIP scene, including, among others, Rainer Zipperling, Roberto Gini, Sigiswald Kuijken, and Bruno Cocset. He was a participant of the program for excellence in chamber music at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, which granted him a full scholarship for his studies, from 2012 to 2014, and in 2017 he received a full scholarship to participate in the Académie Européenne de Musique Ancienne 2017 in Vannes. Apart from specializing in HIP, Yotam has also had the opportunity to perform contemporary music, including numerous premieres of pieces by Israeli composers. He was a participant of the Tedarim program for the performance of contemporary music by young musicians (2013-2014), as well as a member of the Lucerne Festival Academy 2013.