Yael is a Grammy Award-winning trumpet player with a wealth of experience in both touring and freelance settings across diverse musical genres. In addition to her performance career, she is a podcast host, arts administrator, and advocate for arts equity and activism.

Yael graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Psychology and Information Sciences, while also pursuing a rigorous performance curriculum through ensembles and private lessons with Raymond Mase at the Juilliard School.

From 2017 to 2021, she served as the principal trumpet player of the New York Youth Symphony, where she was a soloist at Carnegie Hall for the world premiere of Ryan Lindveit’s Close Up at a Distance, performed on CNN with Billy Ray Cyrus, toured internationally in Spain, and was featured on the Grammy-winning album Works by Florence Price, Valerie Coleman, and Jessie Montgomery. During this period, she was also the principal trumpet of the Columbia University Orchestra and served as both a soloist and Director of Global Operations for the Back to Bach Project, a musical outreach initiative aimed at inspiring children worldwide with a passion for classical music.

After graduating from Columbia, Yael spent a year performing trumpet in the First National Tour of the comedy musical Tootsie, where she relished the opportunity to bring joy and laughter to audiences every night. Currently based in New York City, she is actively freelancing in both commercial and classical settings while pursuing an Artist Diploma at OAcademy and working in the impact investing sector.

Yael’s recent performances include school and community productions of Into the Woods, Chicago, Pippin, Anyone Can Whistle, and The Hello Girls, as well as a residency at The Palace Theatre in Manchester, NH, for a production of Oliver!. She has also performed with ensembles including Camerata Notturna, Chelsea Symphony, String Orchestra of Brooklyn, Hora Decima Brass, Calliope Brass, New York Classical Players, Schiller Choir, and Richmond County Orchestra.

In addition to her musical endeavors, Yael is the creator and host of the podcast The Brass Ceiling, where she interviews primarily female and non-binary musicians about their journeys in the industry. Through thought-provoking conversations, she aims to explore ways to foster greater diversity and accessibility in the arts. With a deep commitment to lifting others as she advances in a historically underrepresented field, Yael is driven to make meaningful change while continuing to create inspiring music and embrace new opportunities.