Belgian-Israeli cellist Liav Kerbel has gained international recognition through appearances at major competitions and young artist programmes. He has participated in the Paulo International Cello Competition in Helsinki, the David Geringas International Cello Competition, the Classic Strings International Cello Competition in Dubai, and the Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition at the Manhattan School of Music. At the Verbier Festival Academy, he received the Prix Jean-Nicolas Firmenich.

As a soloist, Liav has appeared with the Belgian National Orchestra and the Helsinki Philharmonic and made his debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Other career highlights include collaborations with Maxim Vengerov and Mischa Maisky, who described him as a “young exceptional musician.”

For Liav, performance is a form of direct communication. Honesty, individuality, and emotional range lie at the heart of his approach, guided 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 reveal different facets of both the music and the performer, leaving audiences with the sense that something meaningful has been shared.

Chamber music occupies a central place in Liav’s artistic life. He has appeared at the Perlman Music Program, the Ravinia Festival, MusicAlp, Musica Mundi, and the Verbier Festival, collaborating with artists including Menahem Pressler, Midori, David Grimal, and Esther Yoo. His studies with Claudine Steenackers, Vladimir Perlin, Philippe Muller, Laurence Lesser, Giovanni Gnocchi, and Frans Helmerson have helped shape an approach that combines technical mastery with individual expression.

Beyond the concert stage, Liav finds great fulfilment in working with young musicians. Since 2022, he has served on the chamber music faculty of the Musica Mundi School in Belgium. He particularly values the opportunity to explore musical and technical questions in depth while helping students develop their own artistic voices. For Liav, teaching is not only a way to share knowledge but also a means of encouraging a deeper understanding of music and each student’s individual path.