Berklee College of Music has named Yoron Israel chair of the Percussion Department. Israel, a drummer, composer, bandleader, vibraphonist, percussionist and author, previously served as the department’s interim chair, and has held faculty positions at Rutgers University William Paterson University, and the Mannes School of Music at the New School.
Israel has an extensive performance career, working alongside acclaimed artists such as Otis Clay, Shirley Caesar, Kenny Burrell, Sonny Rollins, Abbey Lincoln, Clark Terry and Joanne Brackeen, among others. As a leader, Israel has recorded five albums: This Moment, Basic Traneing, Live at the Blue Note, A Gift for You and Visions: The Music of Stevie Wonder. He has released two albums as coleader of the Frank Walton/Yoron Israel Sextet, Live in Chicago and The Back Step. His other projects include the trio New Dreams with pianist Kevin Harris and bassist Will Slater; his quartet High Standards with pianist Laszlo Gardony, saxophonist Lance Bryant and bassist Henry Lugo; and the group Connection with guitarist Ed Cherry, vibraphonist Bryan Carrott and bassist Sean Conly.
In addition to his role at Berklee, Israel serves as pastor of music and art at Destiny Life Center International in Boston and Randolph, Massachusetts. He is the author of the educational DVD Creative Jazz Improvisation for Drum Set, published by Hal Leonard and Berklee Press. He also served as author of the Berklee Online course Drum Set Fundamentals. Israel received his Bachelor of Music degree from Roosevelt University in 1986, and his Master of Music degree from Rutgers University in 1997. He is currently completing a doctoral degree at Liberty University.
