Omri Kochavi is a composer and guitarist based in London. His work draws its language from a broad range of influences, focusing on the reality of sounds, plants, people, and the interactions between them.

Highlights of the past year include the premiere of gilufim by the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, conducted by Maxime Pascal, and the first performance of Ladies in Bloomers by the London Sinfonietta, EXAUDI, and gardeners from the Story Garden, conducted by Ellie Slorach — a 45-minute ‘hortimusical’ drama for ensemble, singers, and on-stage gardeners, following the radical lives of pioneering women gardeners, after Fiona Davison’s An Almost Impossible Thing.

Upcoming projects include a major work for singer, ensemble, and audiovisuals; a new choral work; a piece for prepared harp and audio for Chris Clarke; a semi-improvised set for solo guitar and live electronics; and a collaborative multimedia performance with Joanna Ward.

Other recent highlights include shablulim (2024) for brass quintet and percussion duo, performed by members of the LSO; anafim (2023), performed by the Aestus Quartet and commissioned by Britten-Pears Arts; and Yam-Yabasha (2021) and moon on mint (2023), two orchestral pieces commissioned by the Orchestra of Opera North.

In 2022, Omri was a Britten-Pears Young Artist, creating works exploring his Iraqi-Jewish heritage in collaboration with poet Amira Hess, culminating in Kishtatos for 18 voices, premiered by the BBC Singers at the Aldeburgh Festival and later nominated for a 2023 Ivors Classical Award.

An active guitarist, Omri regularly performs both his own music and others’, appearing in concert series such as Music We’d Like To Hear, Eternal Series, and The Listening Project, and at venues including Café OTO and The Place.

He is currently undertaking a PhD in Composition at Durham University, supervised by James Weeks, and was a 2022–23 Junior Fellow at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, studying with Julian Anderson and Laurence Crane.