Aya Lion
Composer | Saxophonist | Sound artist
My practice encompasses performance, improvisation, creating visual scores, recording, curating sound archives, synthesis, and building electronic systems.
Through my work, I articulate liminal spaces that explore the thresholds between imagination and reality, presence and absence, memory and oblivion.
I graduated from the Artistic Research Program (2023) and the New Music Department at the Musrara School of Art and Society (2022), where I completed my studies with honors and received the Jerusalem Mayor’s Award (2022) and a Creation Encouragement Grant (2021).
I have participated in residencies in Düsseldorf (2023), where I composed and presented a new work, and at the Arad Contemporary Art Center (2025), where I documented Arad and its surroundings down to the Dead Sea through field recordings and photography.
I have received grants from the Rabinovich Foundation (2025) for Ripples and from Mifal HaPais (2024) for Shvarim ve’T’ruah (Broken Calls and Trembling Wail). My debut album Trains was released in 2024 by the German label Midira Records.
I am a member of Ensemble Musica Nova and the band Bein HaHarisot (Among the Ruins), and have performed at numerous festivals and venues, including InDNegev at the Eretz Israel Museum, the Jerusalem Jazz Festival, Musrara Mix, Tonal Eclipse of the Heart, Festival HaZikuk, the Room Service Festival by the Catamon Dance Group, and Teder.fm.
Education
2022–2023
Artistic Research Program, Musrara – The Naggar School of Art and Society. Specialization in composition with Amnon Wolman
2019–2022
Certificate Studies, Musrara – The Naggar School of Art and Society. Specialization in composition with Kiki Keren-Huss. Coursework included sound design, field and studio recordings, arrangements, composition, and ensemble performance
2007–2022
Private saxophone studies with Erez Bar Noy, Yonatan Hazan, Maayan James
2016
Graduate of Ironi Aleph School of Arts, Tel Aviv. Majors: Philosophy and Music (Jazz), 10 units
2007-2010
Saxophone studies at the Jaffa Conservatory of Music; performed with the Wind Orchestra, specializing in classical music
2025
Ripples – for contrabass, tuning forks, and electronics
2024
Shvarim ve Teruah (Broken Calls and Trembling Wail) – for wind trio, percussion, and electronics. Performed at Tonal Eclipse of the Heart Festival (Mazkeka, Jerusalem) and at Felicja Blumental Music Center (2024)
2023
Traces – for cello and computer. Performed at Pergamon with cellist Tom Klein (2023)
2022
Temporary Memory – for recordings and live performers. Performed at Sadek Studio (2022)
Grants and Awards
2025
2024
Rabinovich Foundation Grant for Ripples
Mifal HaPais Grant for Shvarim ve Teruah
2022
2021
Mayor’s Award for Excellence upon graduation
Artistic Encouragement Grant for excellence in studies
Performances
solo
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Concert.e Festival (2025)
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Musrara Mix Festival (2023)
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Tonal Eclipse of the Heart Festival (2023)
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Venues: Teder, Sadek Studio, Mazkeka, Pergamon, HaTzimer
Ensembles
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Member of Ensemble Musica Nova (2025)
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Guest musician with the band "Bein HaHarisot" (2025)
Residencies
2025
Artist Residency, Center for Contemporary Art, Arad
2023
Artist Residency, Düsseldorf Municipality, Germany. Composition and performance
Albums
2005
Trains – solo album, released by Midira Records
Compilations
2024
2023
On the Way – featured on Jerusalem of Sinusoids
Seven Seconds – featured on Aneurysm vol. 1
Compilation Appearances
2025
Views from the Seven Ionian Islands – album by Tom Soloveitzik, released on Suppedaneum
2025
Recording of a work by Maya Felixbrodt
Interdisciplinary Collaborations
Dance / Choreography
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Music for the dance performance Hevel Peh (Breath Rope) by choreographer Yagel Bassok-Tushinsky, presented at Asif Festival (2024)
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Music and performance for Her Own Room by French choreographer Hélène Taddei Lawson, presented at Room Service Festival (C.A.T.A.M.O.N Dance Group) (2023)
Video / VR
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Music for a computer game by Maya Livshitz (student project, Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design) (2025)
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Music for a VR project by Maya Avramovsky (2022)
Sound Installation / Performance
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Performance with the sound installation of Tzura Tzrura Collective at Beita Gallery (2025)
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Performance with the sound installation of Yoni Niv and Eitan Haviv at the Jerusalem Jazz Festival (2024)











