Violinist Hadar Zaidel, born in Tel Aviv, Israel, is pursuing her Master of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Prof. Ilya Kaler. She earned her Bachelor of Music from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel Aviv University, studying with Prof. Hagai Shaham, and previously trained at the Israel Conservatory of Music and Thelma Yellin High School of Arts. From 2018–2020, she served as a Musician of Excellence in the Israel Defense Forces.

Zaidel has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. She was a member of the Gertler Quartet, concertmaster of the Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and a longtime participant in programs of the Jerusalem Music Centre. Her solo appearances include performances with the Tel Aviv Soloist Ensemble, Thelma Yellin Symphony Orchestra, and the Goppisberger Musikfestival Orchestra in Zurich. Broadcasts of her performances have been featured on Israel’s Kol Hamusika radio.

An alumna of the Perlman Music Program, Zaidel has participated in leading festivals such as Keshet Eilon, ISAmasterclass, and Morningside Music Bridge, collaborating with prominent artists including Hagai Shaham, Hillel Zori, Zvi Plesser, and Michal Korman. She has also played in masterclasses for Itzhak Perlman, Midori, Miriam Fried, Shmuel Ashkenazy, and Vadim Gluzman, among others. Since 2021, she has been an active member of Musethica, bringing music to diverse communities and underserved audiences.

Zaidel is a recipient of scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, which also provides her current violin. Her awards include prizes at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Competitions, the Israel Conservatory Competition, and the Israel National Competition in Raanana.