Shay Cohen was born on October 1976 in Israel.

He studied piano at Tel Aviv University with Prof. Arie Vardi.

At the age of 18 he received international attention as a concert pianist by winning the first prize at the "Vladimir Horrowitz International Piano Competition" in Kiev, Ukraine.

Before moving to Germany in October 2003, Shay worked as an arranger and conductor for various choirs in Israel.

Shay works since 2005 for "Stage Entertainment" as a keyboard player and as a conductor in various productions:

 

  • "The 3 Musketeers", Berlin - 1st Keyboard.
  • Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" Oberhausen and Berlin - 1st Keyboard and rehearsal pianist.
  • "The Phantom of the Opera," Essen- 1st Keyboard.
  • "Dance of the Vampires", Berlin (2007) - 1st Keyboard.
  • "Mamma Mia!", Berlin- Keyboards and third conductor.
  • "The shoe of Manitu", Berlin - third conductor.
  • "The Producers", Berlin (Admiral Palace) rehearsal pianist.
  • "Dirty Dancing", Berlin - keyboard player and third conductor.
  • "I've never been to New York," Stuttgart- assistant musical director.
  • "Dance of the Vampires", Berlin (2012/2013) - assistant Musical Director.
  •  "Mamma Mia!", Berlin (2014/5)- assistant Musical Director.
  •  "Ich war noch niemals in New York", Berlin (TdW 2015)- assistant Musical Director.
  •  "Chicago", Berlin (TdW 2015-6)- assistant Musical Director.
  •  "Tanz der Vampire", Berlin (TdW 2016)- Resident musical director.
  • "Sister Act", Berlin (TdW 2016)- Resident musical director.
  • "The hunchback of Notre Dame", Berlin (TdW 2017)- Resident musical director.
  • "Ghost", Berlin (TdW 2017-2018)- Resident musical director.
  • "Tanz der Vampire", Berlin (TdW 2018/9)- Resident musical director.
  • "The Band", Berlin (TdW 2019)- Resident musical director.

 

Since January 2016 Shay works as the Resident musical director at Stage Theater des Westens.

 

Shay Won the "32.Brüder-Grimm-Festspiele authors competition" and wrote the music for the musical "Rapunzel", which was premiered in Hanau on 13.05.2016. His Musical "Kohlhiesels Töchter" will be premiered in Hallenberg in June 2019.