Born in Jerusalem, Amir van der Hal is a graduate of the Israel Arts and Science Academy high school. He studied the viola with Prof. David Chen and with Prof. Yuri Gandelsman, among others.
During his service as violist of the Israel Air Force string quartet he was Principal Violist of the Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra.
After a year playing with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, he continued his studies with Karen Dreyfus at the Manhattan School of Music.
On returning to Jerusalem he studied  at the Hebrew University and was awarded a B.Mus degree from The Jerusalem Rubin Academy, where he studied with Mr. Avi Abramovich. He then continued studying with Prof. Rivka Golani at the Birmingham Conservatoire in England, and was awarded a Diploma for Professional Studies with commendation.
He participated in the Tanglewood Music Festival and the Verbier Festival and Academy, and won scholarships and prizes from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, Yad va Shem, Manhattan School of Music, The Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music and Dance and the Birmingham Conservatoire.
In 2002 he joined the Israel Philharmonic, becoming Assistant Principal Violist in 2004. During the 2009-10 season he was Assistant Principal Violist at the Staatstheater Mainz, Germany.
Amir van der Hal performs regularly with chamber ensembles from within the Israel Philharmonic as well as with various other ensembles, both in Israel and abroad.