Celebrating the release of his upcoming album, “Fragments,” Yoni Battat shares a collection of original and traditional melodies surrounding his Iraqi-Jewish identity. With lyrics in Arabic, Hebrew and English, the music utilizes Arabic modes and rhythms with an ensemble of traditional Arabic instruments. Gathering the broken pieces of his fragmented identity, Yoni conjures the senses to fill in the gaps in memory with the richness of music and imagination.

Yoni Battat is a Boston-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and teacher, specializing in contemporary and traditional Jewish music from Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Yoni’s Judaism is deeply rooted in both his Iraqi and Polish ancestry, and especially the rich musical traditions that come from these cultures. A classically trained violist, with a Bachelor’s from Brandeis University and Master’s from Boston University. He also plays the oud. Since completing his degrees, he has appeared with several orchestras and chamber ensembles, such as the New Haven Symphony, Boston Philharmonic, Juventas Ensemble, and ALEA III. Yoni is also the core violist of VSNY, a mixed chamber group that performs new works alongside celebrated masterpieces. Currently he is a cast member of the National Touring Company of the hit Broadway musical, “The Band’s Visit.”