Israeli conductor Bar Avni, chief conductor of the Bayer Philharmoniker Leverkusen, is a fellow of the prestigious stARTacademy by Bayer Kultur. Avni is the award recipient of the 2021 International Kurt Masur Institute and winner of 2nd Prize and Orchestra Prize of the Fitelberg Conducting Competition 2018. In 2023/2024, Avni will debut at the Israel Music Festival and with the WDR Funkhausorchester. She is also invited to assist conductor Barbara Hannigan and conductor François Xavier Roth. Avni collaborates regularly with a variety of orchestras and ensembles of different styles.