Initially a violinist, Yael Hyken began viola at 16 under the guidance of Prof. David Chen at the Israel Conservatory in Tel Aviv. At the age of 18 she joined the Israel Army in the unit of “Outstanding Musicians.”
Yael received her Bachelors Degree in Music at the Academy for Music in Rotterdam, where she studied with Prof. Ron Ephrat. From 2004-2008, Yael was a member of the UBS Verbier Festival Orchestra under Music Director Maestro James Levine and later joined the Verbier Chamber Orchestra. She has played with many esteemed conductors including Valery Gergiev, Zubin Mehta, Charles Dutoit, Stephane Deneve and Gustavo Dudamel among many others. Yael studied at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City with Irene Breslaw and Daniel Avshalomov. From 2007-2010, she was a fellow with the New World Symphony in Miami under Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas.
Yael teaches violin and viola to elementary through high school students, as well as playing with the Miami City Ballet, Naples Philharmonic, and the Florida Grand Opera in Miami. Yael was principal viola of the Amarillo Symphony in Texas from 2014-2018.