Arie Vardi
Arie Vardi (; born 1937) is a classical pianist, conductor, and piano pedagogue. He is laureate of the Israel Prize in 2017. Biography. Vardi was born in Tel Aviv and graduated from the Rubin Academy (renamed the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in 2005) and earned a law degree at Tel Aviv University. He obtained a soloist diploma from at City of Basel Music Academy. Among his music teachers were Paul Baumgartner (piano), Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen (composition). He then went on to become professor of piano and head of department at the Rubin Academy, and later became  the head of the school. Music career. Vardi launched his concert career at the age of fifteen as the winner of the Chopin Competition in Israel and the George Enescu International Competition in Bucharest. Vardi performs regularly as soloist-conductor, playing the complete set of concerti by Bach and Mozart, part of which he has played on the "Hammerflügel". His extensive repertoire includes various Israeli works, many of which were dedicated to him. In the 2001 season, Vardi directed, conducted and played a series of five concerts with the Israel Chamber Orchestra. The series, entitled "The Piano Concerto", featured twelve  concertos ranging from Bach to the 21st century. In the 2004–5 season he launched a new weekend series with the Israel Philharmonic, "Morning Intermezzo", where he serves as conductor and presenter. For television viewers he is best known for his series "Master Classes", the family series of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra which he conducts and presents, and also currently for his new series "Intermezzo with Arik". Students. Over 50 of his students have won first prizes at international competitions. Vardi’s students include concert artists Saleem Abboud Ashkar, Jonathan Aner, Nareh Arghamanyan, Astrit Balzan, Yossi Bim Nun, Dror Biran, Yefim  Bronfman, Sa Chen, Ariel Cohen, Arnon Erez, Yeol Eum Son, Einat Fabricant, David Fung, Alexander Gavrilyiuk, Boris Giltburg, Eitan Globerson, Dorel Golan, Alon Goldstein, Daniel Gortler, Shlomo Gronich, Revital Hahamov, Chi-Ho Han, Bishara Haruni, Martin Helmchen, Claire Huangci, Dong Hyuk Lim, Nikolay Khozyainov, Yusuke Kikuchi, Won Kim, Yaron Kolberg, Yanina Kudik, Krysztof Książek, Łukasz Krupiński, Milka Lachs, Colleen Lee, Tomer Lev, Yundi Li, Hyo-Sun Lim, Ke Ma, Albert Mamriev, Aleksandra Mikulska, Joseph Moog, Mateusz Molęda, Dmitry Onishenko, Yuhi Ozaki, Jonghai Park, Francesco Piemontesi, Tal Samnun, Sipione Sangiovanni, Tomoki Sakata, Shlomi Shaban, Lahav Shani, Gil Shohat, Dmitry Shishkin, Lori  Sims, Da Sol Kim, Victor Stanislavski, Vladimir Sverdlov Ashkenazy, Michal Tal, Yaara Tal, Alessandro Taverna, Rai Trachtman, Beatrice Rana, Aviram Reichert, Irit Rub, Xiaohan Wang, Yael Weiss, Orit Wolf, Emre Yavuz, Yevgeni Yontov, Takashi Zato, Asaf Zohar, Ran Zemaeh and others. Mathematician Noam Elkies was a student of his between 1972 and 1978. Jury member. Vardi is currently the artistic advisor and chairman of the jury of the Arthur Rubinstein International Master Competition. Master classes. Vardi has held master classes and presented lecture recitals at many of the world's top conservatories. His recordings of Mozart concertos have included the  Concerto for Three Pianos with Yefim Bronfman and Radu Lupu. Vardi teaches at the Hochschule für Musik Hannover, Germany, and at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv. Awards and recognition. His recordings have won critical acclaim. In 2004, the Minister of Education Award was bestowed upon him for his lifetime achievement. In 2017, Vardi was awarded the Israel Prize.