[2][full citation needed] "His music is marked by extreme contrasts in tempo and mood, often following a witty or downright funny movement with one that is deadly serious.
"[3] In his honor, the Syracuse Society for New Music awards the Brian Israel Prize every year to an emerging New York State composer.
[4][full citation needed] A native of the Bronx, New York, Brian Israel studied with Lawrence Widdoes, Ulysses Kay, Robert Moffat Palmer, Burrill Phillips and Karel Husa.
His "Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble" is regarded as his "most original creation," according to composer Daniel Godfrey in a 1986 interview.
As a pianist, composer, and conductor, he performed with numerous ensembles, including, for many years, the Society for New Music.