Hello! My name is Yael, and I am a Grammy Award-winning trumpet player with touring and freelance experience in diverse musical settings, as well as a podcast host and arts administrator that is deeply devoted to arts equity and activism.

I graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Psychology and Information Sciences, while I concurrently pursued a performance curriculum through ensembles as well as lessons with Raymond Mase at the Juilliard School.

Notably, I was the principal trumpet player of the New York Youth Symphony from 2017-2021, with which I was a soloist at Carnegie Hall of the world premiere of Ryan Lindveit’s “Close Up at a Distance,” played on CNN with Billy Ray Cyrus, toured internationally in Spain, and was featured on the Grammy-winning studio album “Works by Florence Price, Valerie Coleman, and Jessie Montgomery.” Additionally, I was the principal trumpet player of the Columbia University orchestra from 2017-2021. I also served as a Soloist and Director of Global Operations for the Back to Bach Project from 2016-2021, which is a musical outreach program aiming to kindle a passion for classical music in children worldwide.

Since graduating, I spent a year playing trumpet for the First National Tour of the musical Tootsie, and loved being a part of a production that brought laughter and levity to audiences each night. I am currently based back in NYC, where I have spent the last year freelancing, working at Maestra in programming, and working in the impact investing space in a BD/Marketing Analyst role.

Since my recent move back to NYC, I have performed for school and community productions of Chicago, Legally Blonde, The Music Man, and Annie. I have also played with Camerata Notturna, Chelsea Symphony, String Orchestra of Brooklyn, Hora Decima Brass, Calliope Brass, New York Classical Players, Schiller Choir, and Richmond County Orchestra.

Moreover, I am the creator/host of a podcast entitled “The Brass Ceiling," in which I interview primarily female and non-binary peers about their musical journeys, and prompt a rigorous dialogue with the intention of understanding how to achieve greater diversity in, and accessibility to, the arts. I hope to lift others with me as I pursue a career in a field that historically lacks diversity, while making wonderful music and chasing exciting experiences along the way!