Cover Story

The Musicians: From Mozart to Metallica

Yoel Levi, former conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

By: Suzi Brozman

The Levi men are, from top left clockwise, Daniel, Amir, Eyal, Yoel and family pet Ozzie.
Photo by Marcy Levinson

When Yoel and Jackie Levi's three sons were small, they began music lessons. But Levi, who recently conducted the Atlanta Opera's Hansel and Gretel, says, "The important thing for me and my wife is that each fulfills his own destiny in his own direction, and we're ready to support them. We don't need them to follow our footsteps, but find their own way."

And create their own paths they did. Eyal, the oldest at 28, is a guitarist in a heavy metal band. He began violin and piano lessons when he was 3 or 4, but preferred his toy guns. "My dad has aspirations. . . . He was used to having 5-year-old kids who could play Mozart concertos, and that wasn't me.

"To get away from classical instruments, I took up drawing. When I got into metal music, Metallica and others made me want to pick up the guitar. I told my parents. . . . They gave me a trial run on a classical guitar. Then I got an electric. After 15 years with 10 bands, music school, appearances, I started making money. At 26, my band got signed, and now we're working on our second record and touring everywhere - all over the U.S., Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan. We've been on MTV2. I write as well as perform. The band is DAATH, a Hebrew word meaning abyss or hidden knowledge, but we have nothing to do with religion. We have our own agenda, but nothing to do with Judaism. Dad comes to performances when he can, and I try to see him too. He came to Ozzfest, and that was cool to have him see me play in front of 10,000 people."

Next in line is Amir, 25. He's been singing and doing theater since elementary school, started dancing in middle school, and came to choreography as a high school junior. He brought a group of dancers together to direct for a high school project and named them the Poisonous Ladies, a name he's carried over to each new dancing group. He's currently doing a show in New York titled Happy Birthday Jesus, which he calls offensively funny if you like South Park. Amir started playing piano as a small child, but he lost passion for it, finding it too tedious. Then he discovered his voice and did shows with the Atlanta Savoyards, the Atlanta Boy Choir and others. He performed with his father once and later did another show with him, as a narrator. He also worked with older brother Eyal once, when he choreographed a piece Eyal had written for his senior project at Sarah Lawrence. "We got a standing ovation! I love to tell stories. I like dancing that not only tells a story, but is aesthetically pleasing. I experiment, but never lose sight of the fact that there's an audience."

The youngest Levi is Daniel, at 18 a senior at Riverwood High but already deeply immersed in his music. "I started violin at age 4, but didn't like it. I moved to piano, trumpet, and at 10 I started playing drums. That became my love. Like my dad, I took drum for eight years. I like to be as well-rounded as possible, to learn as many styles as I can. Primarily I use rock. I relate to it better than to any other style. I haven't played with my father, but he has helped me out when I've needed it. He's a wealth of knowledge."

Daniel isn't playing professionally but is planning to be professional as he grows older. "Right now, like any artist, I'm building up my chops, my portfolio. I've toured a lot, done sessions. I want to pursue more of that." And eventually? "It depends on where I land a gig. It's about being in a band and playing in front of people who enjoy your music, to express myself."

One statement came from all three boys: "My parents are very supportive." And whether the music is Dad's Bartok, or Eyal's Dimmu Borgir, Amir's Madonna and Dixie Chicks, or Daniel's Muse and Queens of the Stone Age, you can be sure music is in their hearts and souls.