Israeli-born pianist Avner Arad received his early musical education in his native country, where he won the Sharett Scholarship of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. At age 13, he continued his studies in the United States with Barry Snyder at the Eastman School of Music. He later attended the Curtis Institute as a student of Seymour Lipkin and the Juilliard School studying with Emanuel Ax and Rudolf Firkusny. Mr. Arad was the first prize laureate of several competitions including the National Shumsky Competition, the Koussevitsky Memorial Competition, and the Young Keyboard Artists Association International Piano Competition. Twice the winner of the Gina Bachauer prize at the Juilliard School, Arad made his Lincoln Center debut as the winner of the Juilliard Concerto Competition. Mr. Arad was a recipient of the 1998 Distinctive Debut award from Carnegie Hall with recitals in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Konzerthaus in Vienna, Kolner Philharmonie in Cologne, Athens Concert Hall in Athens, Symphony Hall in Birmingham and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Mr. Arad has performed as soloist and recitalist throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, Belgium, France, Holland, Norway, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic. Other recordings by Mr. Arad include the complete piano works by Janacek.