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Chen Zimbalista

Percussionist Chen Zimbalista is a force of nature. Exhibiting preternatural musical skills since he was a child, this Israeli-born performer has gone on to master over 40 exotic instruments from dozens of countries, and has proven himself equally adept at performing complex Classical compositions as he is at home with World music and jazz.

On stage, Zimbalista is an explosive, riveting presence. His energetic shows are a visceral experience that must be seen, not only heard. His disarming stage manner and raw physicality manage to engage even the most reserved audiences to become active participants in the event. He's an international 'best kept secret' -- about to electrify America.

Soon to tour the U.S. as a headliner (and to guest with Chamber Ensemble Concertante as well,) Zimbalista remains relatively unknown in America. Though, The Los Angeles Times took note of his show-stopping performance as a Guest Performer with the LA Jewish Symphony, raving that Chen "ought to be" a household name in this country. "Zimbalista is a young, muscular, intense dynamo with charisma to burn and a precise technique that knows no stylistic bounds. He's also a showman who knows how to make an entrance." He "reeled off an extraordinary solo, one with kinetic impact, a sense of direction and melodic logic " and it swung like mad. Why can't all drum solos be like this…?"

About Marimba & Percussion Soloist Chen Zimbalista: Chen Zimbalista has dazzled audiences around the globe with his popular solo percussion performances. He studied with Mr. Alon Bohr (Israel Philharmonic Orchestra), at the Tel?-Aviv Academy of Music, Professor Morris Lang (New York Philharmonic), and with Professor Bent Lillof in Copenhagen. Chen has performed with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, and all of the leading orchestras in Israel. In the United States, he has performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony and the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players. Chen has won several prizes, including the Francois Shapira Prize, the Young Artists Performing Israeli Music Prize, and the first prize from the National Council for Culture and Arts for performing his work Impulse 1. Chen's unique creativity has inspired composers to write especially for him: Noam Sheriff, Menachem Weisberg, Benjamin Yosopov and Mark Hagerty. He has recorded a CD with the cooperation of the Jerusalem Music Center, as well as a solo CD, Desert Beat, on Koch Discovery. He has toured China, the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Italy, Africa, Turkey, England, France and Taiwan. Chen has performed at Festivals all over the world, including the Israel Festival, The Tel?-Aviv Museum Biannual for Contemporary Music, and Kfar Blum Music Festival, where he serves as Musical Consultant in Israel; the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Bahnhof Rolandseck Music Festival in Germany; The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, DC) and Art Midwest festival in the U.S.; Stresa Music Festival in Italy and Kaohsiung Arts Festival in Taiwan. A believer that music transcends all boundaries, and can demonstrate the importance of respecting and appreciating others' differences, some of Chen's most successful performances have been in Turkey, in Africa at a special Peace Concert, in Germany with the Stuttgart Percussion Ensemble as well as at the Israel Festival 2000. He has also played the opening outdoor concert for the Israel Festival in 2001. He is currently the Music Director for the Tom Tom Festival in Natania, Israel.

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LA TIMES RAVES: "Zimbalista is a Young, Muscular, Intense Dynamo with Charisma to Burn and a Precise Technique That Knows No Stylistic Bounds"

More from The LA TIMES review: "Zimbalista made easy work of Hadas Goldschmidt-Halfon's fascinating new percussion concerto, "Knock on Wood", with its difficult two-handed polyrhythms on marimba, bongos, temple blocks and tom-toms and its gently syncopated slow movement on triangles and glockenspiel. And with conductor Noreen Green and orchestra scrambling to keep pace, Zimbalista impishly led everyone, including us, in a frantic Shlomo Gronich scherzo called "Go"..." The Los Angeles Times, By Richard S

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