First prize winner of the prestigious International Tokyo Competition, Ran Zemach was born in Israel in May 1969 and first began his piano studies at the age of 6 with the guidance of his mother and father. After only two years he was accepted as a most exceptional child prodigy to the class of Arie Vardi, with whom he studied intensively for 14 years.
Ran has been receiving a scholarship annually from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation since he was 9, and was awarded the first prize in the important Clairmont national competition for seven years in a row since he was 11. Turning 12, he first performed as a soloist with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra under Gary Bertini, playing the second Mendelssohn concerto in a celebrated live radio broadcast concert. In the same year he gave his first concert with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra performing a Bach concerto, and just a year later, aged 14, he performed Rachmaninoff's first piano concerto with the Israel Philharmonic and Maestro Zubin Mehta, in a concert which was broadcast both on national TV and on the radio. From then on, he performed regularly with all major Israeli orchestras and gave numerous recitals and live radio broadcasts.
In November 1986, aged 17 and a half, being the youngest of 84 contestants, he won the first prize, the gold medal and other special prizes at the International Piano Competition of Japan in Tokyo, a competition which was regarded as one of the worldwide most prestigious and important piano competitions at the time. This was the biggest and most significant competition winning achievement for any Israeli pianist until that time, and is still considered one of the very few biggest.
Following the prize winning, Ran Zemach was invited to give numerous concerts throughout Japan, Europe and Israel including TV and radio broadcasts. He has also recorded live performances to Fontec record label.
Ran Zemach was invited by Maestro Zubin Mehta to participate in the "100th Anniversary of the Birth of Arthur Rubinstein" festival with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Mehta, together with the internationally leading pianists such as Pollini, Brendel, Perahia, Barenboim and Lupu. In the following years, he was invited to perform in major halls in Russia, Poland, USA, Italy, Great Britain, Japan and more.
In 1991, following the historical Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement, for the first (and unfortunately, also the last) time, an important Egyptian musician was engaged to perform in Israel. It was Taha Nagui, the main conductor of the Cairo Symphony, who was called to perform with the Jerusalem Symphony, and Ran Zemach was the celebrated chosen soloist for performing the first piano concerto by Tchaikovsky in a special whole Russian music program concert. The great event was broadcast live on Israel's radio.
In the later nineties, Ran further continued his studies with the acclaimed pianist professor Russel Sherman in Boston, where he earned his Artist Diploma degree in NEC (New England Conservatory) school of music.
Even as a teenager Ran Zemach was well known for his rare virtuosity and impressive brilliant technical abilities. His playing style is considered quite introvert but full of inner richness. His repertoire is wide and spans over more than three centuries, from the baroque music of Scarlatti and Bach, to the 20th century music of composers like Stravinsky and Prokofieff, and contemporary Israeli composers.
In recent years, Ran Zemach has been involved in performing works of the great French Jewish composer, Charles-Valentin Alkan, whose works are considered especially difficult to play because of their astonishing virtuosity.
One of his great works, the Symphony for Piano solo, opus 39, which is also known as the "Etudes on the minor keys" number 4-7, was first performed in Israel by Ran Zemach in a series of recitals, one of which was broadcast live on Israeli radio in 2007.
In addition to his musical activities as an international concert pianist, Ran Zemach also devotes his time as a mentor and coach for talented advanced pianists.
Ran Zemach has also graduated from the Computer Science faculty in the Technion of Haifa, where he earned B.Sc. and M.Sc.. He now resides in Zichron-Ya'acov with his wife and their 5 children.
Following the prize winning, Ran Zemach was invited to give numerous concerts throughout Japan, Europe and Israel including TV and radio broadcasts. He has also recorded live performances to Fontec record label.
Ran Zemach was invited by Maestro Zubin Mehta to participate in the "100th Anniversary of the Birth of Arthur Rubinstein" festival with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Mehta, together with the internationally leading pianists such as Pollini, Brendel, Perahia, Barenboim and Lupu. In the following years, he was invited to perform in major halls in Russia, Poland, USA, Italy, Great Britain, Japan and more.
In 1991, following the historical Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement, for the first (and unfortunately, also the last) time, an important Egyptian musician was engaged to perform in Israel. It was Taha Nagui, the main conductor of the Cairo Symphony, who was called to perform with the Jerusalem Symphony, and Ran Zemach was the celebrated chosen soloist for performing the first piano concerto by Tchaikovsky in a special whole Russian music program concert. The great event was broadcast live on Israel's radio.
In the later nineties, Ran further continued his studies with the acclaimed pianist professor Russel Sherman in Boston, where he earned his Artist Diploma degree in NEC (New England Conservatory) school of music.
Even as a teenager Ran Zemach was well known for his rare virtuosity and impressive brilliant technical abilities. His playing style is considered quite introvert but full of inner richness. His repertoire is wide and spans over more than three centuries, from the baroque music of Scarlatti and Bach, to the 20th century music of composers like Stravinsky and Prokofieff, and contemporary Israeli composers.
In recent years, Ran Zemach has been involved in performing works of the great French Jewish composer, Charles-Valentin Alkan, whose works are considered especially difficult to play because of their astonishing virtuosity.
One of his great works, the Symphony for Piano solo, opus 39, which is also known as the "Etudes on the minor keys" number 4-7, was first performed in Israel by Ran Zemach in a series of recitals, one of which was broadcast live on Israeli radio in 2007.
In addition to his musical activities as an international concert pianist, Ran Zemach also devotes his time as a mentor and coach for talented advanced pianists.
Ran Zemach has also graduated from the Computer Science faculty in the Technion of Haifa, where he earned B.Sc. and M.Sc.. He now resides in Zichron-Ya'acov with his wife and their 5 children.