Lyle Cohen (b. 2002) is an Israeli composer, arranger, contrabassist and cellist. His œuvre includes vocal, chamber, orchestral, solo, choral and electroacoustic works. His writing is characterised by stylistic eclecticism alongside harmonic richness, colourful orchestrations and expressive depth, which often takes inspiration from literary, poetical, philosophical and historical ideas. Lyle’s music is performed in Israel by prominent contemporary ensembles, including the Israel Contemporary Players and Meitar Ensemble, and in Denmark at PULSAR Festival, by Juniper Fuse, the Royal Danish Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra and others. He has won prizes in numerous competitions internationally, including the National Composition Competition (Tel Aviv, Israel), Artistes en Herbe (Luxembourg) and the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music's Composition Competition.
Lyle graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music of Tel Aviv University, where he studied under Josef Bardanashvili. During his time at Tel Aviv University, Lyle also played contrabass in the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Symphony Orchestra, including as section leader, and graduated with a Teaching Certificate in Music. Lyle has received multiple awards at Tel Aviv University for academic excellence, including being on the university's Rector's List for Outstanding Students, being on the Arts Faculty's Dean's List twice and receiving its Excellence in Composition Scholarship twice.
Lyle's whole life has been surrounded by music. He grew up in a musical family with roots in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. His grandmother, Ruth Mense, was the IPO's pianist and a world-renowned accompanist. His mother, Bavat Marom, a mezzo-soprano and voice teacher, imparted to him a love of classical music and an understanding of the intricacies of its expression. His father, Ady Cohen, a film composer and professor at Berklee College of Music, introduced him to the world of film scores, expanding his musical palette to encompass a vast array of genres and styles. Lyle also enjoys accompanying on the piano his young sister, Noot, who is a soprano studying at mdw in Vienna, for whom he has composed several pieces.
In August 2024, Lyle began his studies for a Master of Music degree in Composition at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen, Denmark under Prof. Bent Sørensen and Prof. Jeppe Just Christensen. His studies are fully supported by scholarships from the Mary and John Hartwig Foundation, Josef and Regine Nachemsohn Foundation and America-Israel Cultural Foundation.
