On the Potomac River, in Washington D.C, Israeli jazz musician Tom Oren performed at the John Kennedy Center and won the first place of the 2018 Jazz International Piano Competition of Thelonious Monk Institute.
In this concert hall with a large and red mezzanine overhanging the stage, the public savored the performance of the 24-year-old pianist. He sang “Just As Though You Were Here”, recorded by the famous Frank Sinatra in 1942 and conquered the judges with this hit.
The young winner has been rewarded with a prize of 25,000 dollars and a recording contract with the Concord Music Group.
He was selected by the judges with two other finalists, Isaiah Thompson, from New Jersey, who took the second place and Maxime Sanchez from France.
Tom Oren, born in Tel Aviv, has come a long and artistic way through his victory. He debuted as a student of the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts, in Givatayim and then gained more experience at the Israeli Conservatory of Music, which he graduated with honors.
In Ramat Hasharon, the young winner studied at the Rimon School of Music and used to perform there for the pleasure of the other students.
During his military service, Tom played as a pianist and arranger for the Israeli Air Force band, as many have done before him like Shai Gabso, a finalist of “A star is Born” and the singer of the famous hit: “Arim Roshi” ארים ראשי .
Since 2016, Tom has been a member of the Eli Degibri Quartet, who is known to be “an exceptionally melodic improviser with a big, bold tenor tone”. The band has travelled all around the word to share their passions, they performed in Spain, United States, France, Russia, Italy and Tom’s home country on July at Zappa concert hall in Tel Aviv and in Holon on February 2018.
Tom confided to the newspaper Haaretz:” “I didn’t really understand how big a thing this is until after winning, and just as well”, the first Israeli ever to win the prize. “If I’d grasped it earlier I might have been stressed.”