French Belgian-Israeli cellist Liav Kerbel has attracted attention through appearances at international competitions and leading training programs, including the Paulo International Cello Competition in Helsinki, the David Geringas International Cello Competition, the Classic Strings International Cello Competition in Dubai, the Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition at the Manhattan School of Music, and the Verbier Festival Academy, where he received the Prix Jean-Nicolas Firmenich.

As a soloist, Liav has appeared with the Belgian National Orchestra and the Flemish Symphony Orchestra, and made his debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Career highlights also include performances with Maxim Vengerov and Mischa Maisky, who described him as a “young exceptional musician.”

For Liav, performance is a form of personal communication. Honesty, individuality, and emotional range lie at the heart of his approach, shaped by the belief that music is most powerful when it reveals something genuine. Drawn to contrast and emotional depth, he seeks to create concerts that allow audiences to experience different facets of both the music and the performer, leaving with the feeling that something personal has been shared.

Chamber music occupies a central place in Liav’s artistic life. Festival appearances have included the Perlman Music Program, the Ravinia Festival, MusicAlp, Musica Mundi, and Verbier, as well as collaborations with artists such as Renaud Capuçon, Steven Isserlis, Frans Helmerson, and Arto Noras. Studies with Philippe Muller, Laurence Lesser, Giovanni Gnocchi, and Frans Helmerson have been complemented by a process of reflection that balances technical mastery with personal artistic expression.

Beyond the concert stage, Liav finds great fulfillment in working with young musicians. Since 2022, he has served on the chamber music faculty of the Musica Mundi School in Belgium, where he enjoys exploring musical and technical questions in depth while helping students discover their own artistic voice. Teaching is valued not only as a means of passing on knowledge, but also as an opportunity to encourage a deeper understanding of music and the artistic journey.