Avi Salloway is an acclaimed musician, activist, and educator based in Burlington, VT. He grew up learning music from American folk legends Pete and John Seeger, and from an early age, was exposed to the power of music to bring people together. Over the last 20 years, he has collaborated with musicians around the globe. He has toured with Bombino, the Tuareg guitar hero from Niger, lived in the Middle East working with Palestinian and Israeli youth musicians to transform conflict, and joined the native-led resistance at Standing Rock. Avi is the bandleader of Billy Wylder and has recorded on 15 albums and performed over 1,500 concerts across six continents—from Coachella to Carnegie Hall, Rio de Janeiro to Sydney. He has collaborated and performed with Jack Johnson, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré, David Longstreth (Dirty Projectors), Mike Gordon (Phish), The Low Anthem, Celia Woodsmith, and Pete Seeger. 

Avi is the musical director and founder of All the Rivers, a global ensemble of 20+ international musicians who now call Vermont home. The vibrant ensemble amplifies immigrant voices, offering spaces for understanding and solidarity through performances and educational workshops.

From 2011-2015, Avi worked with Heartbeat on a musical peace-building project with young Arab and Jewish musicians. Based in Jerusalem, Heartbeat is a non-profit organization that unites Israeli and Palestinian youth musicians to build critical understanding, develop creative nonviolent tools for social change, and amplify their voices to influence the world around them. While working in the Middle East, Salloway facilitated music workshops, writing, and recording projects with the Heartbeat artists. He designed and implemented Heartbeat’s international touring platform, activating tens of thousands of new allies and cultivating critical networks to develop the organization sustainably. Avi produced and performed with Heartbeat on five of their US tours, including a pinnacle briefing and concert at the US Congress. In addition to his work with Heartbeat, Salloway has led music-based conflict transformation workshops at Seeds of Peace, working with youth from Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, the UK, and the US. 

In November 2016, Avi traveled to Standing Rock to join the nonviolent resistance to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. At the Oceti Sakowin camp, he supported the native-led movement to protect the primary water source for over 17 million people and fight for indigenous sovereignty.

Avi is also the founder and producer of the Moonshine Music Series. He curates and hosts the community concert festivities on select farms in New England, bringing people together to celebrate music, culture, and local organic food.

Avi’s passion for music and cross-cultural exploration has taken him all around the globe. He believes in the power of song to inspire people of all backgrounds to be the change we seek.