Lior Michel Virot (1995), Principal Oboist of the Israel Philharmonic, was born in Zurich and raised in Geneva. From 2017 to 2022, he served as Principal Oboist of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared as a soloist and guest musician with numerous orchestras including the La Scala Orchestra and many leading Israeli orchestras.

Virot has performed in many of the world’s major concert halls, such as Carnegie Hall, the Berlin Philharmonie, KKL Lucerne, the Elbphilharmonie, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing), Sala São Paulo, and Teatro Colón.

He participated in masterclasses in Germany, France, and Israel with renowned oboists such as Heinz Holliger, Albrecht Mayer, Jean-Louis Capezzali, and Ramon Ortega. He also gave a masterclass in Dubai, as part of the European Foundation for Support of Culture.

Lior studied at the Buchmann–Mehta School of Music under the guidance of Dudu Carmel. During his studies, he performed as a soloist under Lahav Shani. He is an alumnus of “Tedarim”, the contemporary music program of the Meitar Ensemble, and has performed with the Israel Contemporary Players and Ensemble Modern. He is currently pursuing a Konzertexamen diploma at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, under the mentorship of Prof. Ralph van Daal.

A recipient of excellence scholarships from the America–Israel Cultural Foundation and the Jerusalem Music Centre, he began his musical education at the Netanya Municipal Conservatory. From 2009 to 2014, he was a member of the Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Lior grew up in a family that is half Swiss and half Yemeni-Israeli, moving between Geneva and Netanya. He spent many Shabbats in the synagogue, captivated by the sounds of traditional Yemenite cantillation. The blend of European and Middle Eastern cultures has been with him since childhood, shaping his musical sensitivity and the stylistic openness he brings to the stage. In his free time, Lior especially enjoys discovering new hiking trails and skiing — the Swiss Alps in winter remain one of his favorite places in the world.