Assaf Sommer

Described as “utterly thrilling, bringing the rippling notes to life with polish and individuality”, Assaf Sommer has performed as a soloist and chamber musician, on piano, harpsichord, and period pianos. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and has performed solo recitals in Carnegie Hall and Steinway Hall in New York. Some notable performances include Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto in Cincinnati and Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he was presented at the “Close Encounters with Music” chamber music series with his piano trio “Troika” and performed a recital at the Cromhuithous in Amsterdam on a historical Erard piano. More recent performances include a solo recital dedicated to Mozart in The Israel Festival and Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier in a lecture-series. Sommer began his studies in Jerusalem at the Academy of Music. He continued to study with international pianist Eugene Istomin at the Manhattan School of Music. During his doctorate degree Sommer was invited as a visiting fellow to Cornell University to focus on the study of performance practice on period-pianos with Malcolm Bilson. During that year Sommer recorded a CD titled “Keyboard Fantasies Performed on Period Instruments” featuring a selection of works performed on the harpsichord, and early and modern pianos. Sommer taught at the University of Cincinnati and was on the faculty of Ohio Northern University. Since returning to Israel Sommer has been teaching at the Jerusalem Conservatory of Music and now serves as the head of the piano department. Sommer is an enthusiastic teacher and his students have won awards and prizes in competitions. As part of his educational agenda Sommer has lectured in the U.S., The Netherlands, Hong Kong, and in Israel on the relevance of period instruments and performance-practice to the musical education of aspiring musicians.