It’s probably easy to spot Yoav Segev at the airport. He’s the guy in the pilot’s uniform with the cello on his back.

Yoav, you see, is the Flying Cellist, a globe-trotting pilot for El Al Israel Airlines who plays chamber music during his layovers in far-off destinations.

Helen Rice could never have imagined. She founded ACMP in 1947 to be able to play chamber music when she traveled away from her home in Connecticut. Today, the ACMP directory has more than 5,000 members from around the world who share a passion for chamber music.

Yoav has made good use of the directory and can speak authoritatively of its global reach.

“Throughout my 20 years flying for El Al, I have delightfully played in Paris, Beijing, Toronto, Johannesburg and nowadays mainly New York, Los Angeles, sometimes Boston,” he said. “All thanks to ACMP.”

Today, Yoav, who is 59, makes his home base in Israel, where lives with his wife, Alice, and three children.

But it all started—the music and flying—as a boy with a dream growing up in a small town in Israel.

Yoav’s father was a helicopter pilot in the Israeli Army.

“At 8, my parents asked me what I wanted to do,” Yoav said. “I said I wanted to be a pilot and fly around the world like my dad.”

Around then, Yoav took up the cello. His father was an accomplished violinist who frequently brought chamber music into his home.

Yoav played until he was 14, when he put his cello aside for a few years in favor of other pursuits like sports.

Then the Israeli Army came calling in 1985, and at 18, Yoav learned to fly fighter jets.

After seven years of active service, he went back to school for chemistry engineering, which ultimately landed him at Intel.

But flying called him back, and about 20 years ago he decided to live out the dream that he told his father about and became a pilot for El Al.

We sat down with Yoav during one of his layovers in New York recently and talked about his unlikely journey. This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.  –Bob Goetz

When did you start playing chamber music?

It was 1998, and while working for Intel I had been transferred to Portland, Ore. I wanted to play the cello. I joined an amateur symphony, and that led to opportunities to play chamber music.

Who are your favorite composers?

I’m a real fan of Dvorak and Brahms. And I always like to finish with Mozart—he always leaves you with a smile.”

What is a favorite chamber music moment?

My father and I had a quartet and piano trio. He was a much better player than me, but I improved. And playing with him was a real bonding.”

How do you improve as a player?

I practice for at least an hour a day. I also go on the internet or YouTube for ideas and tips to improve my playing. When I get to a layover and don’t have someone to play with, it’s a good chance to practice.

What cities does work take you to these cays?

In the U.S. I fly to New York—I go every month—Miami, Los Angeles and Boston. I also fly to Bangkok and Tokyo. For every city in the West, I usually have quartets. I have very good players all over the US.

What role did ACMP play?

It all started with ACMP. When I go to a new destination I open the directory and start sending e-mails, usually to success. Most of them reply. I’ve never had a real bad match.

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