Yehuda Glantz

Yehuda Julio Glantz (יהודה חוליו גלאנץ; born March 19, 1958, in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a musician, composer, singer, songwriter and producer living in Jerusalem Israel.

Named and recognized as Cultural Ambassador of Latin Hebrew Music from Israel to the world.

Glantz is a multi-instrumentalist playing on the Charango, piano, accordion, siku, pincuyo, guitar, flute, cuatro and is also a percussionist.

Yehuda has twice received the first place award in the klezmer Safed festival for his performance and compositions.

He released an album entitled Golden Organ 1 and 2 in 1985 and Golden Tunes in 1986.

In the same year he also released a humor satire album entitled Kasach in honor of the Jewish holiday purim.

In 1992 Glantz released the album Pionero, a Spanish album debuting the song Adon Olam.

From 1992 to 2007, Glantz appeared each year at the Chabad Telethon in Hollywood.

In 1994 the Song Na'ale off the album was released and hit number 1 on the Top 10 song lists of many Israeli radio stations, the album sold thousands.

It was then that Glantz began to be published in Diaspora communities worldwide.

In 1996 after witnessing the explosion of a suicide bomber near his home at the Machane Yehuda market place of Jerusalem, Glantz released an album entitled Rak Litzok El Hashem -" Just shout to the Lord.

As a result he met Jerry Weintraub, whose credits include producing the 2001 blockbuster hit remake of Ocean's Eleven.

Glantz then appeared in season 2 Episode 7 of the TV series Friends, where he appeared as the "Rabbi playing the electric guitar".

In 2002, Glantz released "Gotta Dance- Muchrachim lircod", a personal album about love, children, and joy.

The album's lyrics are based on the teachings and statements of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

In 2005, the first Cellist from the Israel Symphony Orchestra Doron Toister, who knew Glantz, decided to arrange one of Yehuda Glantz's compositions for the Israel Symphony Orchestra.

Glantz then began to produce the performance entitled "Nomade".

This performance integrated classical orchestration along with South American instrumentation.

A total of 83 musicians performed on stage including the symphony and rhythm section.

Glantz alongside Toister worked for 18-month producing this project and in April 2006, premiered with the Israel Symphony Orchestra at the Performing Arts Center of Rishon Lezion.

In 2008, Yehuda founded the Regalim Festival in the City Center of Jerusalem.

The festival takes place during both Sukkoth and Passover holidays and attracts thousands of visitors from around the world.

Yehuda Julio Glantz was born and raised in Argentina.

When he was five years old he began studying accordion, and Glantz 's father enrolled him in a music school.

At the age of six, Glantz began to sing in the choir of the Max Nordau Synagogue located in Buenos Aires.

He began to study violin in the Manuel de Falla Conservatory, simultaneously studying both piano and guitar.

At the age of sixteen he started performing with the young band "El Canto de Todos".

At the age of seventeen he went to Brazil where he studied harmony and composition on the style of Bossa nova and Samba while mastering both guitar and percussion.

At the age of twenty-one Glantz visited Israel for the first time and decided to stay.

Shortly after he was granted a Stipend from the Rubin Academy of Music of Jerusalem where he studied piano and composition with Professor Nachum Perperkovich.

At the age of twenty-two Glantz adapted various flutes and other Bamboo instruments into his music.

He began producing, arranging and composing music in International Latin American Jewish Fusion.

His stay in Israel presented him with many questions about Judaism.

Yehuda Julio then began the study of the musical path of the Hasidim and the Kabbalah known as "nigunim" that reflects the search for connection and expression.

It is a musical tradition with a lot of energy, rhythm and fervor, a tool to elevate and get closer to be more spiritual.

Combining composition with rhythm and instruments from South – America, along with words from the scriptures.

He subsequently performed in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Europe, Japan, Rusia, South America and Israel.

In 2008 Yehuda Julio Glantz founded the "Festival Regalim" in Jerusalem's City Center.

The festival provides a platform for young artists from the neighborhood and internationally consisting of musicians, painters, street performers, actors, authors, and others, who present their creative abilities.

Yehuda released last September the first single "Birkat HaBayit" from the new album.