Avi Avital: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

[@MarieMandolin]

The Mandolin is one of the best instruments ever invented. You can play anything on it. It has no limits. The only limit it has is on the part of the player. If the player likes Classics then it can respond to that according to the talents and hard work of the player. If one plays one's own style it responds with all of its heart. So why is it not more recognized as one of the best instruments in the world? Remember the story about the old violin? An instrument is as bad or as good as the person's ability and talents to play it in my humble opinion. I play the Mandolin and Guitar according to what I was able to teach myself. Here we have a young man who is very talented and realize the beautiful voice of the Mandolin. Thumbs up to this young man for what he is doing for this instrument and those of us who are struggling to bring it forward to the world. Thank you for sharing. Marie

[@caitlinchung1360]

Wonderfully said!

[@supreme7738]

exactly. the genre i play on my mandolin is "music" if i feel and connect to it ...i play it.

[@nikosz66]

Well said ! Regards from Athens !

[@leonardoiglesias2394]

I prefer the acordeon.

[@JuliaFlorian]

I love the way he plays this instrument.

[@DEETALEH]

now it´s almost 8 years since this was recorded. I hope he´s still playing so beautifully and yet looking so relaxed.

[@OR-zb9pw]

Yes he does. I met him in Atlanta Symphony orchestra 2 years ago. He is amazing.

[@Fatmagul-st5xg]

I met him a few days ago. He visited my school and played for us!

[@davidmolloy126]

That's a masterclass in mandolin, thanks very much Avi.

[@margarett.newman7574]

Beautiful. And especially good being able to watch the right hand techniques which are so so subtle. Thank you.

[@DjangoClouds]

That last tune's meter just about made my head explode! :-) Loved it!

[@JanRossi]

Nice... I had left something else on.... and came back into the room to hear this amazing artist. Great !

[@Sassari2930]

Simply stunning!

[@MrA259]

Wonderful. He was featured today on "Performance Today" glad to see this earlier work.

[@elizabethbaker4497]

What beautiful and expressive playing!

[@RNWard1954]

Not a duel....a duet. These two would be AMAZING together. Hope it happens. :)

[@jimmycricket7385]

Let's face it the greatest of all instruments is the tambourine. A classic orchestral solo instrument. The range and depth of that instrument is awe inspiring. Especially when in the skilled hands of an English Morris dancer decked in the finest silk ankle ribbons and bells on his shoes.

[@klokchander]

how incredibly attractive. well done.

[@opreapetru404]

bravissimo signore

[@ilkbgbttzcntlii]

He was awesome in The Road To El Dorado

[@henryalmanzarherrera9955]

ESTA MUSICA ME HACE VIVRAR MI ALMA HASTA LA MAS MINIMA FIBRA DE MI ISER COMO SI LA HUBIESE ESCUCHADO DESDE NIÑO .GRACIAS POR PODERLA ESCUCHAR

[@wolf-uwekalischer7987]

Wonderful

[@leonardoiglesias2394]

The best israeli mandolina player in history!

[@SpikeSpiegel96]

One of the best mandolin player

[@leonardoiglesias2394]

@@SpikeSpiegel96 israeli.

[@Marny5580]

Love you, Avi.

[@arthurvandamme7447]

Brilliant!

[@youngtoonfish6891]

Always wondered where he got this beautifully looking and sounding mandolin from, now I know. Avi Avital is such a great musician.

[@Daniel_Doce275]

A bit sad kerman no longer makes new mandolins (or so I heard), not that I'd afford one if he still did.

[@HalaKalala]

This vid is 11 years old .. hope he still playing perfectly 🤍

[@minopoeminopoe4503]

He is!

[@jmccormac01]

The second part of that was one of the best things I've ever listened to. Wow.

[@nprmusic]

Yes! Apologies on the first one, but we sent it back through and reposted!

[@ambujjain212]

Amazing

[@jackv6227]

The Django of Mandolin

[@rabigol8603]

Jack Valentine Chris Thile is on that level if not better

[@danielirmscher8525]

Avi kind of looks like Jim Croce's sephardic son. I'm totally stunned by his playing.

[@rasputinsghost]

i want to see him in a mando duel with chris thile

[@markfreemantle7608]

Wonderful playing, very engaging. I love the fact that the tremolo sounds just as good on one string as when playing multiple notes (chord) at the same time. Great dynamics too. I'm wondering what classical technique this would be called?

[@GeanieVincent]

Mark Freemantle Duo-Style

[@ksalanpang]

He's almost doing the brazilian stuff to the classical piece. Lots of energy reminds me a bit of hamilton de Holanda without the facial expressions. To those who relate him to Thile perhaps of the relative age, Chris is more of a swiss knife because of some genre hopping which he enjoys, Avi is a sword or saw that focuses on traditional/classical genre.

[@haridassa7964]

Alan KS So true! Hamiltinho!

[@BeastmanUCF]

How are you gonna start your description of Avi Avital with an insult to all mandolin players in the world NPR. Really?

[@BenjEvans]

Bryan Eastman yeah Chris Thile's been there 4 times!

[@sailingsam3815]

Wow...

[@03Venture]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@newactchanell]

nice

[@MichaelCarMusic]

But, to be fair, Thile would win over anyone who's ever played the mandolin! This guy is still pretty damn good.

[@dropsoffaith]

Haha, seriously though. . . this is sexy stuff.

[@tomphillips6743]

I find this music fascinating but am not sure how to get into it. Does anyone know of any beginner-friendly resources for people looking to play folk and and classical music on mandolin? e.g. fake books, sheet music webpages, etc.

[@elitinseth4590]

tis just!

[@CanceArmstrong]

do you think most people can see a short and tell you the brand, style or texture?

[@3ff8qwe]

This guy would be good at playing Asteroids. And also he can play the mandarin.

[@mospeed1417]

what kinda shirt is that?

[@0kumo1]

He rocks with a mandolin so if he takes a electric guitar or something he will blow my mind lol, nice play.

[@supreme7738]

nah he's good with the mando

[@quesomquefaz]

which mic is this in all npr tiny desk concerts?

[@buddybellwether2188]

***** Sennheiser 418s mid/side stereo shotgun mic. They say this mic can be a handful and is pretty much worthless if you don't know how to decode the M/S signal properly. I have never worked with it personally, but it seems to be a great mic.

[@quesomquefaz]

thank you!

[@mbk4700]

HE'S HOT.

[@eleninamyers]

Music really isn't about competition. But for what it's worth, Thile would run circles around Mr. Avital.

[@Dylankerslake1]

they'd prob have some collab!

[@kaebmoo]

อย่างคิง ต้องมา เจอ มือ ปิน บ้าน ฮา แอะ

[@welltoucansamatthatgame]

Spike Spiegel plays a mean mandolin.

[@niccolecastellanos3069]

Marry me

[@YoutanPoluo]

I feel like the mandolin right handed picking technique was stolen by death metal bands.

[@elitinseth4590]

chris thile would win like a race with a rabbit verses the turtle chris being the rabbit!

[@panache2521]

but does it djent

[@rorimckenzie237]

Lol why would you become that good on the mandolin

[@callmeTruman]

those pit stains..

[@zerofoxgibbon3923]

Video lights are hot! So are tiny spaces with lots of people.

[@debennett2]

How is tremolo picking a talent all of a sudden?

[@peterwaldvogel6353]

Such strange technique - I think he might be able to play even better with better technique.