A composer, conductor and performer with a unique background and versatile abilities, Jay Vilnai’s music is at once new and familiar, drawing on everything from Balkan folk music, Chicago blues, a long lineage of jazz styles and Western concert music. It reflects the current, vital generation of Brooklyn artists in the embryonic 21st century - a generation that explores how this plurality of heritages can add up to something meaningful and beautiful.
Vilnai's musical journey owes to a unique heritage as a Russian-Romanian-Polish descendant raised in Jerusalem around a mix of contemporary and traditional Jewish and Arab music, with a soul for rock n'roll a BFA in jazz and an MM in concert composition. Vilnai picked up the guitar at 14, inspired by the music of Bob Dylan. Pink Floyd and the Beatles. He quickly became interested in jazz and began studies at the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music Program in New York in 2000, where he graduated with honors in 2003. Vilnai pursued jazz studies with Brad Shepik and Vic Juris, and composition studies with Kirk Nurock and Bob Sadin. As a guitarist, Vilnai has performed with Matt Darriau's Paradox Trio, Aaron Alexander's Midrash Mish Mosh, Romashka, as well as other ensembles. He has shared the stage with diverse figures such as trumpeter Frank London, balafon player Famoro Dioubate and the Phoenix Symphony.
At the New School, Vilnai was first exposed in a concentrated way to two strains that would become key in his music - Balkan and Middle-Eastern music (including Oud studies with Palestinian master Najeeb Shaheen), and orchestral composition and arranging and 20th century music theory. Those interests led Vilnai to complete an MM in composition at Brooklyn College, studying with Jason Eckardt. During his studies he has received the John Cage Award for excellence in Composition, and selected as composer in residence for the conservatory's orchestra and Contemporary Music Ensemble, directed by Ursula Oppens. He has been commissioned by the Metro Chamber Orchestra to create a concerto for himself on guitar and chamber orchestra, Tessera Quintet, Brandy Trio, ai ensemble, trombonist Jen Baker, trombonist David Whitwell and video artist Elizabeth Hamby. His compositions have been performed around the country, most notably by CUNY’s CME, OMNI Ensemble and others. His composition ‘Amiable Beast’ was a finalist in the International Music Prize for Excellence in Composition. His 2011 release ‘Shakespeare Songs’, featuring the MIVOS quartet and singer Gelsey Bell was said by Lucid Culture to possess ‘creepy otherworldliness’, and ‘ghostly ambience’. In his concert music, Vilnai is concerned with music as ritual and social activity, the importance of folk music elements, the interplay of independent melodic voices and expansive, open-ended form.
Vilnai leads, composes for and performs in 'Vampire Suit', an improvising chamber quintet that combines his interests in Balkan music with contemporary, detailed chamber writing. The ensemble has released two recordings to positive reviews, said to have 'enduring beauty' (Cadence Magazine), called 'Bram Stoker's Transylvania jazz scene‘ (jazzreview.com), and said to posses an 'airy, festive, free-form atmosphere' (download.com, editor's pick).
In addition, Vilnai has acted as producer, arranger and musical director on several projects, including Joanna Wallfisch's debut album 'Wild Swan' and the off-Broadway show 'Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad'.