Itamar Erez is an Israeli born Canadian composer, pianist and guitarist with a breadth of expression from European classical to jazz, world music and beyond.

In 1994, Erez was short-listed for the English National Opera’s Stephen Arlen Award, and was the recipient of the 1997 Israeli Prime Minister Creation Prize for Composers, and in 2000 Erez was a finalist in the 18th ALEA III International Composition Competition in Boston.

Erez's music has been commissioned and performed by various soloists, ensembles and orchestras throughout Europe, the Middle East, United States and Canada including The BBC Singers (UK), The Israeli Chamber Orchestra, The Ra'anana Symphonette Orchestra (Israel), Partita Radicale (Germany) ALEA III (Boston) and the Standing Wave Ensemble (Canada). His works are published in Australia, Israel and Canada, and Erez is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre.

Itamar Erez also composes music for theatre, modern dance, and film. In 2002-2004 he has collaborated with director Rafi Spivak in the short films “The Man In Pajamas” and “Fragments of Proximity”. The film “The Man in Pajamas” was featured in several film festivals in Canada and Europe.
While in Germany, Itamar has participated as pianist in Steven Berkoff’s film ‘Decadence’, with famous film actress Joan Collins.

Aside from his classical pursuits Erez has been active in both the jazz and World Music idioms.
In 2003, Erez formed ADAMA, a World Jazz Ensemble that includes oboe player Tony Nickels, bassist Laurence Mollerup, and Stefan Cihelka on tabla. ADAMA is planning to record their debut CD in 2005.

PRESS

‘The Single Movement Concerto for 13 Instruments by Itamar Erez (Israel) drew one in with its personality, its teeming big-canvas sweep, color, and incident - a composer to watch!’ The Boston Globe, Oct 18th 2000

‘Itamar Erez Trio enables vast opportunities for each member of the group, with rich and intimate music.’ The Red Sea Jazz Festival, Eilat, Israel, Aug 1989

‘Itamar Erez…combines a live and expressive imagination with a deep and strong feeling of balance of musical form in connection with content of composition.’
Prof. Mark Kopytman, Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music

‘Itamar Erez… is an intelligent and very musical composer whose work shows flair, originality and a developing aural sensitivity to instrumental colour and character.’
Prof. Simon Bainbridge, Royal College of Music, London, England