"Colorful, haunting,
accomplished and exciting..."
The Boston Globe
Biography of composer Lior Navok
Lior Navok, (b. September 6, 1971) is a renowned contemporary music composer, and pianist. His compositions have been played in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Berlin Philharmonie, Sydney Opera House, and Deutsche Oper Berlin, earning him international recognition for his innovative and emotionally resonant works.
Described by the Boston Globe as "colorful, haunting, accomplished, and exciting," Navok's music has been performed by orchestras such as the Oper Frankfurt, Staatstheater Nürnberg, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Cantata Singers, and Orchestre de l’Opéra de Rouen Normandie. He has worked with notable conductors including Gianandrea Noseda, Pablo Heras-Casado, Ludwig Carrasco, Laurant Gendre, Peter Tilling, and David Hoose. His compositions have also been featured by a variety of ensembles and groups, including Callithumpian Consort, Collage New Music, Ensemble TIMF, Telegraph Quartet, Ensemble SORI, Doric String Quartet, Auréole Trio, Klenke Quartet, Cepromusic Ensemble, Pentaèdre Wind Quintet, Hindemith Wind Quintet, Racher Saxophone Quartet, Borromeo String Quartet, and Forum Voix Etouffées, to name a few.
Navok’s extensive catalogue includes over 90 works, spanning various genres and styles. Notable compositions include An Unserem Fluss, an opera that reflects on the Middle East conflict, and The Bet, an opera based on a short story by Anton Chekhov. Stage works for children, such as The Little Mermaid and The Adventures of Pinocchio, showcase versatility and the ability to engage audiences of all ages. The oratorio And The Trains Kept Coming… reflects on the Holocaust. His music offers a captivating counterpoint that inspires many choreographers
As a pianist, Navok has released several solo piano CDs, including Urban Nocturnes. Other notable recordings include The Old Photo Box, which captures the essence of memory and nostalgia through its evocative melodies.
Lior Navok's contributions to contemporary classical music have garnered significant recognition through numerous awards and commissions. He has received support from esteemed organizations, including the Koussevitzky Music Foundation, Fromm Music Foundation, and the Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund. Among his accolades, he has been honored with the Israel Prime Minister Award twice, in 2002 and 2010, as well as multiple ACUM awards. His impressive prize list includes the Alea III Composition Competition First Prize, ASCAP Annual Awards, Boston Modern Orchestra Project/NEC Composition Competition First Prize, Golden Feather Award, Illinois State University Composition Competition First Prize, Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund Award, Massachusetts Cultural Council Composition Award, Omaha Symphony Composition Award (First Prize), and the Young Composer’s Competition at Austin Peay University. Navok's artistic development has also been enriched by prestigious residencies at the Tanglewood Music Center, Cité Internationale des Arts, Aspen Music Festival, and the MacDowell Colony, supported by grants from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and the Israel Cultural Excellence Foundation (IcExcellence).
Navok completed his Bachelor’s degree at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, where he studied composition under Yinam Leef and conducting. He furthered his education at the New England Conservatory, earning both a Master’s and Doctorate, studying with John Harbison.
Navok is the author of a new Children Book entitled Brave Little Timmy.
On a Personal Note
To grasp the essence of an artist’s work, one must look beyond a single musical work. Understanding the whole is essential, much like knowing the person behind the art.
I was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1971. My birthplace often makes headlines, entangled in stories distant from those experienced in the US or Europe. Despite the political turmoil, Tel Aviv thrives with vibrant cultural life, nurturing artists like myself who eventually find their way into the broader world.
My approach to life is deeply rooted in the principles of live and let live, non-violence, and religious tolerance. Many of my works reflect a critical stance on war, religion, and their often horrid consequences. I strive to address these themes through a lens of empathy and understanding, advocating for a world where diverse perspectives can coexist peacefully.
Music has captivated me for as long as I can remember. My earliest explorations involved improvising on toy instruments—a child's accordion or drum set—where I began creating melodies and recording them on old tapes. At seven, I began formal music lessons, and it became clear that music was my destined path. At sixteen, I discovered jazz, a revelation that led me to join various combos as a pianist and compose my first jazz charts. Unfortunately, none of this period was properly recorded, leaving me with only a few old tapes.
At eighteen, I embarked on my mandatory three-year army service as a keyboard player. This period was a true education in itself. One day, I performed for a full hall with the president and prime minister present, and the next, I played in a bunker before just four soldiers. I preferred the intimate, real audience.
In 1992, I began my bachelor’s degree in composition and conducting at the Jerusalem Academy. Coming from the jazz world, I had many gaps in my knowledge. When a professor mentioned Sibelius and I didn’t recognize the name, I spent days immersing myself in his symphonies and other works. Same with many others. This was a time of endless discovery, each day bringing new revelations. Following that, I spent four years studying in Jerusalem. This unique city, with its individual characters and little secrets written in stone, greatly influenced both me and my music.
In 1996, I moved to Boston for my master’s and later my doctorate. The experience was overwhelming at first, surrounded by the legendary figures I had only known through recordings. Evenings presented hard choices: Should I attend the Boston Symphony's rendition of The Rite of Spring with Ozawa, or hear Dave Brubeck or Ali Akbar Khan, who played on the same evening? During my years in Boston, I focused solely on composing, only later returning to perform as an improvising pianist.
After my doctorate, I was offered a job and planned to stay in the US. However, my liver began to show signs of illness, unrelated to drinking. I returned to Israel and spent 2001-2003 healing. By August 2003, as my health improved, I moved to Paris. Enchanted by the city’s beauty, I marveled at how impressionism—both visual and musical—could only have flourished there.
The following years were spent in constant motion, between New York, Berlin, Paris, and Tel Aviv. In 2010, I settled in Berlin to work on my opera, An Unserem Fluss.
In 2014, my daughter Nike was born, bringing immense joy into my life.
Later in 2014, my liver dysfunction recurred, leading to a liver transplant. Such an experience shifts one’s perspective on life. It took time to recover and reflect on what came next. I realized that while musicians give themselves on stage, doctors and nurses dedicate themselves daily with profound commitment, without expecting any applause.
This experience led me to slow down, and for a while, I stopped composing. Instead, I delved into cooking, discovering that creating depth in a dish is very much like creating depth in music. Both processes require layering with care and love. In this way, the orchestra’s palette and the spice cabinet become one.
In recent years, I have composed with renewed passion, balancing this with reading, meditation, yoga, nature walks, and, of course, cooking. I am fortunate to have my music commissioned and performed by amazing musicians, each inspiring and unique in their own way.
