BM, Jerusalem Academy of Music
MM, New England Conservatory
Israeli born flutist Amir Milstein has established his career in the world-music scene, founding acknowledged ensembles such as Bustan Abraham and Tucan Trio which he has recorded and performed worldwide.
His musical background represents a variety of styles and cultures including classical, jazz, Meditteranean, Balkan and Latin music. He has led numerous ensembles and collaborated with world renowned artists such as Zakir Hussein, Tito Puente, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ross Daly, Omar Farouk Tekbilek, Armandinho Macedo, Theodosii Spasov and Mikhalis Nikoloudis, among others.
Amir has performed as a band leader in distinguished concert venues and festivals around the world, including The Royal Albert Hall, London; Carnegie Hall, NY; Teatre de La Ville, Paris; Cairo Opera House, Egypt; Montreal Jazz Festival, Canada; WOMAD festival, Reading, UK; Europa Plus Jazz Festival, St. Petersburg, Russia; Lille Opera House, France; Jerusalem Festival of Arts; Hong Kong Festival of Asian Arts; etc.
His flute playing is featured in over forty albums worldwide, collaborating with artists from different genres.
Amir has also collaborated with several choreographers, with whom he has composed for various dance groups, including the Israeli Flamenco Dance Company "Compas," Tanzquartier Wien, Austria, and has recently been a member of the experimental group "Sounds and Signs" which explores the interdisciplinary art of free improvisation in music and dance. In 2009 Amir co-composed, together with Grammy-Award-winner pianist Alon Yavnai, the soundtrack for the documentary film Democracy's Outpost.
As a music educator, Amir has been a faculty member at Hed College of Contemporary Music in Tel Aviv, Israel since 2002. He has developed a music-education program for Karev Educational Foundation, and currently presents workshops and clinics at schools, colleges, and universities including Berklee College of Music; Darmouth College, NH; Berkeley University, CA; Harlem School of Music, NY; Middlebury College, VT; and Tel Aviv University, Israel. In 2003, he was nominated for the Excellence in Performance Award of the Israeli Culture Ministry, and in 2010 received a New England Conservatory Entrepeneurial Musicianship Grant.
Amir also presents an educational music program entitled "A World of Flutes," in which a collection of over a hundred woodwind instruments from around the world are introduced through live music, stoires, and other interactive activities. The program is approved by the Newton Schools Creative Arts Committee, and presented in schools and colleges.
Amir currently teaches flute and world music ensembles at the New England Conservatory and Northeastern University in Boston, and performs with a variety of musicians worldwide.