Yuval Medina is a composer and pianist who believes in the power of music to change our world. A storyteller at heart, his music seeks to express all that cannot be said in words. Born in Israel and raised in the United States, Yuval identifies as a third-culture artist whose work bridges the emotional, cultural, and political gaps he has lived through.

After immigrating to the U.S. at age eleven with limited English, Yuval found in music a universal language through which he could be understood. Composing quickly became not only a tool of communication, but also one of healing. As a gay artist who grew up closeted, music offered a vital means of emotional expression in moments when words failed. His compositional voice is deeply shaped by these early experiences — seeking not only beauty, but truth, urgency, and human connection.

Yuval’s formal training began at Duke University, where he earned a degree in Computer Science with a minor in Music Composition. There, he developed a cross-disciplinary approach to music, experimenting with data sonification, algorithmic textures, and interactive soundtracks for video games. In 2023, he made the pivotal decision to leave his full-time job as a software engineer at Google to pursue composition professionally. He is currently earning his Master of Music in Composition at the Manhattan School of Music.

Since beginning his studies at MSM, Yuval’s output has grown rapidly. His recent works include El Cerrito (2025) for small sinfonietta, conducted by the composer himself; Together Again and Incredible Orca Hunt (2024), with choreography by Olga Rabetskaya; Focusing on Other Things (2024), a solo piano cadenza premiered by the composer and selected for Honorable Mentions by Tribeca New Music; and On the Softest Bed of Clouds (2025), dedicated to close friends and collaborators Tiffany Leard and Joe DeAngelo.

Yuval’s dual identity as a composer-performer is central to his artistry. He finds immense fulfillment in premiering and conducting his own music, shaping the score in real-time with fellow performers, and connecting with audiences through both the written and spoken languages of music. His performance instincts as a pianist continually inform his writing, while his compositional voice in turn deepens his interpretive range at the keyboard.

His works have been featured by Vanity Fair during the Oscars ceremony — accompanying stars including Adrien Brody, Olivia Wilde, and Andrew Garfield — and supported by organizations such as New Music Horizons, Synthase Music, and the International Brazilian Opera. He received the Tribeca New Music Merit Award for Focusing on Other Things, and was awarded Honorable Mention in the New York Youth Symphony’s First Music competition.

You can follow @yuvalcomposer on Instagram, YouTube, or SoundCloud to stay up to date with his latest work.