Born in Tel Aviv, Atar Arad is a winner of City of London Prize and laureate of the Carl Flesch Competition and was awarded the First Prize at the 1972 International Viola Competition in Geneva. In 1980 he became a member of the Cleveland Quartet with whom he toured the world, collaborating with many leading musicians such as Eugene Istomin, Emmanuel Ax, Yoyo Ma and Mitslav Rostropovich. His frequent collaborations with other artists have included appearances with the Guarneri, Emerson, Tokyo, Chillingrian, Vermeer and New Zealand string quartets.
Mr. Arad has held the Professor of Viola position at the Eastman School of Music, the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and at the Carnegie Mellon University and he also served as artist/faculty member at the Aspen School and Festival. He currently serves as Professor of Viola at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.