Whether secluded in his studio on Manhattan’s Upper West Side or travelling the globe with renowned musicians such as Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright, Interpol’s Paul Banks, Kiesza, Yael Naim or Kishibashi, cellist and composer Yoed Nir possesses an artist’s touch which has made him a go-to arranger and cellist for many artists and countless projects. Endorsed by Yamaha, Apogee, DPA and D’Addario Strings, Yoed has captured a unique voice and musical homogeny, showcased in both his debut album “Suspended Hours” and his second solo album “The Next Dream”.
Yoed, who was born in a small town in Israel, fell in love with the cello at the age of seven. His passion led him to study classical music at the Conservatory of Music in Tel Aviv, where he took master classes and studied under prominent musicians such as Daniel Barenboim, Janos Starker and Mischa Maisky.
He then branched out, using his homeland and classical studies as a foundation from which to explore pop and rock music, jazz improvisation and arranging. “I had a yearning to explore possibilities in other places, such as New York,” he explains. “New York is a great place to play all styles of music, and I have developed a lot as a musician by being here.”
While many of his contemporaries use a more traditional compositional tool such as the piano, Yoed views the cello as a direct extension of himself. With the help of modern recording technology he moves effortlessly from inspiration to recorded sound, all while using the instrument he has dedicated his life to mastering.
His touring history and deft ability to arrange music, layer sounds and overdub string sections have garnered him a wealth of experience and recognition. He recorded with Interpol’s Paul Banks, for whom he arranged and performed all the strings on his first two solo albums. In 2008 he recorded with Yael Naim on her Billboard-topping self-titled album, and he has toured extensively with Regina Spektor, most notably on a world tour for “What We Saw from The Cheap Seats”.
He has performed in storied venues including Radio City Music Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall and the Rose Theatre at Lincoln Center. Yoed has also appeared on The Today Show, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (NBC), The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS), Good Morning America (ABC), The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS), The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) and Later with Jools Holland (BBC).
Though much of his time has been invested in supporting world renowned artists in the studio and on tour, his own music remains close to his heart. “Suspended Hours” and “The Next Dream” both display the musical skills which have made Yoed an indispensable part of more than 700 albums across multiple genres, using a language that bridges the classical and contemporary music worlds.
“The Next Dream” features airy and lush melodies intended to serve as the soundtrack for dreams and to inspire freedom of imagination as the sounds wash over the listener. Moments of meditation lead into those of excitement and tension, like transitioning from one dream to the next. Despite each song’s distinct sound, a clear underlying theme appears: a dreamlike fusion where Eastern and Western musical traditions collide.
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