There are numerous a cappella and musical performance clubs on campus, but the realm of instrumental music has so far gone without much representation in the Brandeis club scene. Sure, if you're a singer and want to join a group in order to get your voice out on campus, there are plenty of opportunities at Brandeis. But for those who want to learn to play a new instrument, there's not much to do besides coercing your more musically inclined roommate to offer you some tips or paying for University-sponsored lessons at $60 a pop.

That has changed with Yakov Israel '12, a Music major who recently created the Piano Club at Brandeis. JustArts sat down with Israel this past week and spoke with him about his newly formed club. Yakov talked about his early experiences with the piano, why piano is his favorite instrument and the possibilities he hopes his club will open for students.

JustArts: Can you describe what the Piano Club is all about?

Yakov Israel: It's just about giving an outlet for people who like piano. Why try to motivate people to play the piano? There was another initiative to attract people to the music department. I've been trying to advertise it a little bit. I've been trying to get a piano in the [Shapiro Campus Center] for a while, but it seems like that's not going anywhere. So I'm going to see if I can replace the [Intercultural Center] piano. I've realized that so many people who play the piano for maybe one years or two years just lose that [skill], they just forget about it. For those who want to remember it, to come back to it, [the club is] an outlet for them.

JA: When did you start learning piano?

YI: When I was four. I got into it by composing or improvising my first piece on the piano. And my mom was like, "You've got to take piano lessons."

JA: What was it about the piano that attracted you above other instruments?

YI: The fact that it's like an orchestra. You can just play what an orchestra actually plays on the piano. No other instrument has that [ability]. You have 10 fingers, so at one time you can play at least 10 notes. It's a versatile instrument.

JA: Do you have a particular style in your training?

YI: Classical. Mozart, Beethoven. But you branch out, you go to jazz and blues. I even started trying to play the tango. The instrument doesn't have to just be used [for one thing], which is what I stress in the piano club as well. It's not just for classical music, there's a wide variety of music for the piano. There's film scores, … there's pop songs, there's hip-hop, there's all kinds of things you can play.

JA: Do you think a lot of people in the music program can benefit from the club as a supplement to what they're studying in the program?

YI: Yeah, eventually. I think we need more interest in it, which we can build once we get our word out there. That's why we're going to have this Dec. 8 holiday concert. Hopefully, the grad students can come, and some members of the piano club are going to play a few pieces here and there and try to do something Christmas-based or Hanukkah-based. We're teaming up with the Russian Club, and they're going to provide food. This is the first event that we've [ever tried] to put on. It will be in the [Rapaporte] Treasure Hall.

JA: Where do you hope to leave the club after you graduate?

YI: I hope to leave it in a good spot where people are interested, and where we offer lessons too. The first questions I get asked is "Does it offer lessons?" And [the answer is] "Yes, we can, if everyone comes to the meetings." You have to put something in if you want to get something out. As of right now, [the club is] more an outlet for people to get comfortable playing in front of others, and not in a pressured setting. And then we talk about the pieces, we analyze and ask how we feel [about what we played]. It's a really relaxed atmosphere. … I've been talking to a couple of teachers here and there [about coming to play for the club.] They've shown some interest, but they don't know exactly where [the club] is going so far. I think I have to get more grounded with the students first before I bring in faculty. For now, I think the students are more important. … I'm really a piano enthusiast, and I just hope more people can come so we can share that enthusiasm together.