Pianist, composer, arranger and educator Amit Golan, grew up in the city of Haifa, Israel. After his mandatory military service, Amit studied composition at The Rubin Music Academy in Jerusalem, and a year later moved to New York City, Where he enrolled in the prestigious New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music. While at the New School, Amit studied with Junior Mance, Kenny Werner, and Joanne Brackeen. After graduating in 1991 with a BFA degree, Amit regularly attended Barry Harris's jazz improvisation workshops, an experience which Amit credits as being a major influence on his own style of teaching. Since his return to Israel in 1995, Amit has taught jazz history, harmony, and improvisation in Israel's leading music schools, including the Thelma Yellin School for Arts. Amit Golan is the founder and head of the Jazz department at the Israel Conservatory of Music in Tel Aviv. Since its inception in 2001, the jazz department at the Israeli Conservatory has offered the best jazz studies program in Israel. In 2009 Amit Established a Colaborative B.F.A Program with the New School For Jazz and Contemporary Music N.Y.C Israelis can now win a degree in Jazz performance by studying for two years at the Center for Jazz Studies at The Israel Conservatoty of Music, Tel Aviv and two at the "New School" in New York. In 2010 Amit became the Director of the Center for Jazz Studies.  The Center includes all the Jazz activities under one roof: The Jazz Department (ages 14-18), The B.F.A Jazz Program, The Israeli Big Band, Tel Aviv and the "New York Jazz Masters" - Master Classes & Jazz Concerts with some the best International Jazz musicains: Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Cobb and Reggie Workman. Over the past decade Amit has established himself as one of the leading jazz educators in the country, whose students have enjoyed successful international careers.   In past few years Amit Golan has devoted more time to writing music and pursuing a career as a performing artist. He leads several bands including his piano trio, Hammond and guitar trio, Quintet and Sextet . In 2007 Amit Golan released his critically acclaimed debut album "I Decided!".