Yuval Sorkin

My name is Yuval Sorkin. I was born in Ashdod, Israel. Since I was a child, I was connected to music in a different way than most people were. It resonated with me in a unique way which led me being more attracted to music than my peers. Being raised in Israel enabled me to discover a wide range of musical styles and approaches. Music had become a significant part of my life. Recognizing this, my parents introduced me to our neighbor who was a piano teacher. My musical journey began.

After 4 years of classical piano studies, at the age of 11, I was admitted to the Ashdod Conservatory and began playing saxophone while also continuing my piano studies, shifting to Jazz. I was playing in the primary youth orchestra of the conservatory, often being featured as a soloist. My Jazz piano teacher at the conservatory, who also taught Jazz theory, is a world-renowned Jazz pianist. He featured me at his shows, which allowed me to gain experience and helped me advance as a performer.

After graduating from high school I Joined the Israeli Defence Forces. I kept playing gigs occasionally to keep my connection to music. A little before finishing my army service, I had an epiphany, during which I realized that I want to be a musician, and pursue that as my life purpose. At the same time, one of my best friends introduced me to the Rimon School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. The school has co-operated with Berklee for many years and has a program that enables students to transfer to Berklee after two years at the school. It was my dream to study at Berklee, so I immediately applied for the program and met Ronen Shmueli, who is a Berklee alumnus and the director of the Jazz Institute at Rimon.

Then, I got lucky enough to join Guri Agmon's big band, whom I met later as one of my professors and mentors. I played in this band for 2 years while studying at the Jazz Institute of Rimon. During my studies, I was honored to perform with Mark Whitfield (87’) and Cyrus Chestnut(85’) - two world-class musicians who were visiting Rimon and teaching master classes. During my second year at Rimon, I applied to Berklee, and received a full scholarship with the help of the “Bercha Foundation”.

Since arriving at Berklee, I studied rigorously to become a well-rounded musician, focusing on composition, arranging, recording, and tutoring. In addition, I found that teamwork and collaboration lead to the best results. I'm lucky to have performed with many of my peers and faculty, gaining valuable experience during the process. I am looking forward to expanding my professional network and creating new directions in the way music can be used to impact society.