College for teachers of Art – Teacher's Diploma (Cum Laude)

B. A. in Humanities – Tel Aviv University
( Hebrew Literature and Theater arts)

Rubin Academy of music at Tel Aviv University
B. Mus.  Voice and teaching degree (6. 4. 1975)

Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University
M. Mus. (artist Diploma) Voice – “Cum Laude” (29.6.1977)

“Lahav” School of Management at Tel Aviv University
Degree of Art Institutes Management

Special scholarship from the Israeli “Sharet” foundation for young artists – 2 months with Yvonne Rodd-Marling, Heather Harper, Geoffrey Parsons and Hans Hotter.

Participation in various master classes with Jenny Tourel, William Horn, Hilde Zadek, Ré Koster, Daniel Ferrow, Marlena Malas, Nico Castel, Joan Dornemann, Sarah Caldwell, Vera Rosza, Mignon Dunn.

6 weeks of watching Nico Castel’s and Katherine Lebuff’s work with students at Julliard and Manhatten Schools of Music – focus on phonetics and diction.

Enabled by a special grant from the American-Israel Cultural Foundation.

Teaching Voice, Oratorio and Lied

Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University:

Since 1.2.2001

Adjunct Full Professor

Since 1.10.1999

Tenure

Since 1.10.1997

Adjunct Associate Professor

Since 1.10.1991

Senior Lecturer and Faculty member

1978 – 1985

Senior teacher

Since – 1997

Visiting Prof. of voice at the Theater Dept.TAU

1963 – 1974

“Kallai” High School, Givatayim

“Wizo” Vocational High School, Tel Aviv

“Ort” Vocational and Technical High school, Bnei-Brak

1972- 1974

College for Youth Leaders, Tel Aviv

“Bat Sheva” Dance company – Vocal Workshop for dancers
Shaping and coaching the vocal aspects of   Naharin’s  “MABUL”-1992

1.

Hochschule der Musik  – Hamburg  - Germany  (1988 – 1995)

1. Mahler and Wolf Lieder

2. Mignon in Literature and Music

3. Movement for singers etc.

2.

Hochschule der Musik  - Saarbrücken – Germany (Visiting Prof. since 1998  -Lied and Oratorio)

1. Aspects of  performing contemporary vocal music

2. Schoenberg’s Sprech-Gesang technique

3. Voice & Movement Workshop

3.

Music Academy of Moscow – Russia  (October 1998)
Singing Bach and singing Lieder – concept of sound and articulation

4.

Music Academy of Kitchyniev – Moldova (summer 1993 and 1994)
Introduction to 20^th century vocal music and technique, Movement for instrumentalists

5.

Princeton University – N.J. USA (1995)
Special Voice& Movement workshop for Composers and Dancers

6.

Mannes College of Music N.Y.C.  (1995)
The vocal world of Gustav Mahler

7.

The European Center for Vocal Art – Alden-Biezen, Belgium –
Lieder and Vocal Movement – summers of 1988-1989

8.

Eastman School of Music – Rochester – March 2003

9.

Curtis Institute of Music - Philadelphia – March ‏2003

10.

Brooklyn College of Music, N.Y.C.  – March 2003

11.

Eastman School of Music – Rochester – May & October 2004

12.

Curtis Institute of Music – Philadelphia – October 2004

13.

Mannes College of Music N.Y.C – October 2004

14.

Monteclair University, Voice Faculty. October 2004

15.

Mannes College of Music N.Y.C. – October 2005

16.

Eastman School of Music, Rochester – October 2005

17.

Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia – October 2005

18.

Manhattan School of Music, N.Y.C. – October 2006

19.

Mannes College of Music. N.Y.C – September 2006

20.

Curtis Institute of Music,  Philadelphia – September 2006

21.

Eastman School of Music, Rochester – October 2006

22.

Scottish Opera – Gluck –  Orpheus – (Sir A. Gibson)

Besnardié Festival, France – Händel - Giulio Cesare, Xerxes   (Farncomb)

London Opera Festival – Händel – Alcina  (Bradamante) (Hickox)

Berlioz Festival Lyons, France Les Troyens (Anna)   (S. Boudeau)

Frankfurt Opera – Regular guest performances ( 1987 – 1995 ) (G. Bertini)

Köln Radio Orchestra –  I. Stravinsky –The Rake's Progress  (Hans Vonk)

1984

Mahler 2^nd Symphony – with the Chicago Symphony  Orchestra conducted by George  Solti (Decca London)  got a “GRAMMY” award.

1988

The Composers and Playwrights Association (ACUM) award
for  Zakai's special contribution to Israeli music.

1990

The Arts and Culture Council prize for best performance of the year (A recital of Israeli compositions, dedicated to Israel’s 40^th anniversary).

1998

A special award for Zakai's dedication, contribution, inspiration and performance of Israeli contemporary music from the Minister of Culture and Education - in honor of Israel's 50^th anniversary, (over 90 compositions were commissioned and performed by Mira Zakai).

1982

The only soloist in a special concert, in honor of the Pope John Paul II – At Castel Gandolfo with Sir Yehudi Menuhin playing violin obbligato for the aria “Erbarme dich  mein Gott”  from Bach’s St. Matthew Passion –The Warsaw Chamber Orchestra, Jiry Maximyuk conducting. Telecast world-wide.

1987

East Berlin – special concert for Berlin’s 750^th anniversary – live Telecast and broadcast all over Europe from the Konzerthaus - Mahler’s “Das Lied von der Erde”
Sir Yehudi Menuhin conducting The Hamburg Symphony Orchestra

1988

November 9th at the ALTE OPER, Frankfurt, soloist in a Commemoration concert:  50 years since “Kristallnacht”
Ravel’s “Kaddish” with maestro Gary Bertini conducting the German Youth Orchestra - (Live broadcast and Telecast to Europe).

Soloist at the Premiere of Luciano Berio ‘s orchestration of Mahler’s   "Songs of youth", with the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, Berio conducting.

2000

January 1^st, – Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Opening night of the Third Millennium
Soloist of “Midnight Vigil”  by M. Seter, Gary Bertini conducting.

Since 1981

“Sharet” foundation scholarships for young singers

1988

The F. Shapira Competition for outstanding Israeli musician

1990

Excellent musicians for the army (special service conditions)

1991

International Dance competition at Susan Dallal center

1998

The Vera Rosza Competition for young singers, Jerusalem

1999

“Yad Vashem” Competition- Music of Holocaust composers

2002

The Spring Competition for outstanding Israeli musicians

2002

Ben Haim Competition of performing Israeli Music (Chairman)

2004

Ben Haim Competition   (Chairman)

2006

Ben Haim Competition   (Chairman)

2004

Kneisel Lied competition Eastman School of Music, Rochester

1992 - 1996

member of Music chapter – Israel's Arts Council

1990 - 1993

member of music committee at The Rabinovitz  Foundation For the Arts, Tel Aviv

Since 1994

Chairman of the above committee

1993 - 1999

“Bat Sheva” Dance Company, Board of directors, member

1999, 2002

Chairman of jury -Israel Prime Minister Prize for Composers

Since 2002

Member of Israel Arts Council's music committee

Since 2001

Chairman - Special committee for music education in schools:

SAL TARBUT (Commissioned by the Ministry of Education)

2006

Member of jury: The ISRAEL PRIZE for classical Musician

A book titled:
“Whereto do the Salmons swim?”
Mira Zakai and André Haydu- A Dialogue
(Hakibutz Hameuhad Edition, Mai 1999)   (view book cover)

Ten Conversations between two major Israeli musicians and educators:
André Haydu, winner of the most prestigious ISRAEL PRIZE for his outstanding achievements as both composer and teacher-educator, and Mira Zakai – who for so many years is a central figure in the Classical Music scene in Israel and abroad as a singer as well as a teacher and delegate of Israeli Music.

Three articles For “MOTAR”
Yearly Magazine, Yolanda Katz Faculty of Arts, Tel Aviv University.

1.      The Concert Stage as Sanctuary   ( 2002 )

2.      The “Journey” in Vocal Music     ( 2003 )

3.      Tangible and Virtual Objects in Vocal Music  ( March 2004 )

An article for TAV PLUS – Music Quarterly Magazine.
Haifa University - Ed: Dr. Bat-Sheva Shapira
"The Road is long" - An open letter to young & aspiring    musicians.(November 2004)

Three articles for the Jerusalem Society of Psychoanalysis,
”Van Leer” Institute publications:

1.      Time and Space in Vocal Music  (2003)

2.      The Mother’s voice in Vocal Music  (2003)

3.      Solitude and Loneliness – an Artist's life (2004)

In preparation:

The "Broken Heart" in Vocal Music
The Open University Publications

Laughter and Humor in Vocal Music
Based on a lecture given at The Dean of Arts series of Lectures at Tel Aviv University, March 2006

"Hearing, listening, being attentive and everything in between"