Jazz WaHi JAZZ COMPOSITION COMPETITION 2025!

This year's winner is

Yotam Ishay

  • Yotam Ishay is a Grammy-nominated pianist, composer, bandleader, and educator known for blending jazz, classical, and global influences into a distinctive musical voice. Born in Israel, now living in New York, Yotam's music is deeply rooted in impressionistic harmony, Mediterranean grooves, and improvisation.
  • Yotam's commissioned work, "Let's Play With Our Eyes Closed", will have its world premiere at the 8th Annual Washington Heights Jazz Festival, November 8, 2025.
  • Listen to some of Yotam's music: The Country The Sight of Mud and Concrete The Last Samurai
  • “Let’s Play With Our Eyes Closed”
  • Concept/Inspiration:
  • This composition is inspired by my time in a trio I formed in back home with two close friends. We met at music school and spent over a year playing weekly sessions, followed by shared meals and deep conversations. In the months leading up to my move to the U.S. in 2015, we played an intensive three month gig performing in different train stations, refining our musical connection to the point where we
  • could finish each other’s sentences. I remember that when playing with them I would close my eyes as we started playing a song, and open them in the end of it.
  • Even though we haven’t played together in the past eight years, and we live in 3 separate continents, our friendship remains strong. We still talk, share life thoughts, and reflect on philosophy and personal growth. This suite will pay tribute to our bond, capturing the spirit of those formative years through music—our laughter, the challenges we faced, and the deep connection that continues to inspire me today.
  • The challenge for writing this piece will be to have inspiration from friendship & love, and not from a place conflict & unease, which has always been easier for me to write from.
  • Instrumentation:
  • The ensemble will consist of seven musicians to achieve a balance of textures and timbres: Piano, Drums, Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Clarinet, Violin, Cello

  • The composition will span approximately 30–35 minutes and consist of five interconnected movements:
  • I - “Back Then” (6mins)
  • A minimalistic, major, rhythm-driven piece in Eb & C, that explores what I used to think blues was.
  • II - “3+1” (5mins)
  • A through-composed piece for rhythm section (including an A. guitar) that will be driven by alberti-bass
  • and progressive rock influences.
  • III - “Writing” (4mins)
  • A melodic contemplative piece in B minor that features the higher register of the bass.
  • The main idea of the piece comes from an old melodic idea of mine from 2009!
  • IV - “Nostalgia” (7mins)
  • A brush-driven song in C# minor that will feature the strings & clarinet.
  • V - “Just This Time” (8mins)
  • An uptempo groovy, wild, somewhat humoristic piece that captures youth spirit and touches free-jazz and
  • will start with a drum solo.



  • Previous winners:
  • 2024: Meg Okura: Reharmonizing Identity
  • 2023: Julie Maniscalco: State of Affairs
  • 2022: Jason Yeager: Upper Manahatta Musical Suite
  • 2021: Robert Fernandez: The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter