Tal Benatar is an Israeli- American conductor, arranger and guitarist. He is currently a Doctoral Pre-Candidate in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Michigan and has participated in masterclasses with distinguished conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle. Tal serves as the Assistant Music Director of the Michigan Pops Orchestra, and made his European Debut in the summer of 2018. Tal has made conducting appearances with the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, U of M Life Sciences Orchestra, The Michigan Pops Orchestra, The Charlottesville Symphony, The Charlottesville Opera, The Albemarle Sinfonia and the Oratorio Society of Virginia, with which he served as Assistant Conductor for the 2015-16 season. He was the music director of the Rapidan Orchestra, a community orchestra in Central Virginia focused on bringing Western Art Music to more remote audiences. As a genre defying musician, Tal has performed repertoire spanning many centuries on many instruments, including performing basso continuo on organ, harpsichord and guitar in various baroque styles. A strong advocate of new music, Tal has conducted world premieres by University of Michigan composers Aaron Hendrix, Gala Flagello, and Marco Antonio Bertuccelli; has been featured as a guitar soloist with University of Michigan’s Orpheus singers; and has performed new music with the U of M Contemporary Directions Ensemble and University Symphony Orchestra. Tal graduated from the University of Michigan in 2018 with an M.M. in Orchestral Conducting. He completed his B.A. at University of Virginia (UVA) in 2014, majoring in Political Science with a concentration in U.S. Constitutional Law. Tal also pursued conducting at UVA, studying with Kate Tamarkin and Michael Slon.