Noa's concert in Paris (France)

Singer Noa from Israel poses for photographers at the Scopus Awards of the French Friends of the Hebrew University, Sunday Jan. 23, 2011, at the Champs Elysees theater in Paris.

Dimanche 23 janvier 2011 s’est tenu au Théâtre des Champs Elysées, la 8ème édition du Gala Scopus, organisé par l’Université de Jérusalem.

Lors de cette soirée d’exception, le prix Scopus 2011, créé par l’artiste peintre et sculpteur Gérard Garouste, a été attribué à Monsieur Charles Aznavour, pour récompenser son parcours d’homme de culture mais aussi celui de militant de la cause arménienne.

Le Prix Scopus est la plus haute distinction décernée par les Associations d’Amis de l’Université de Jérusalem dans le monde. Le Prix Scopus est attribué à une personnalité engagée dans des actions éducatives, culturelles ou sociales ayant marqué la société de leur empreinte. Il représente et reflète ainsi la tradition d’excellence incarnée par l’Université. Ont ainsi été récompensés par le passé : Serge et Béate Klarsfeld, Roman Polanski – qui étaient tous trois présents à la soirée - Bernard Henri Levy, Robert Badinter, Gregory Peck, Billy Crystal ou encore Franck Sinatra.

Près de 1000 invités étaient ainsi rassemblés hier pour honorer le talentueux Charles Aznavour mais aussi pour soutenir la recherche en participant à la vente aux enchères prévues pour aider la création du Centre Edmond et Lily Safra sur le Cerveau de l’Université de Jérusalem ELSC.

Ce Gala sous l’égide de l’élégance, du partage et de l’émotion, ne pouvait rêver meilleurs ambassadeurs que Michel Drucker, Carole Rousseau, la chanteuse israélienne Noa ainsi que le chef d’orchestre de renommée internationale et violoniste Michaël Guttmanpour témoigner de leur amitié envers Charles Aznavour.

En effet, nombre de personnalités avaient fait le déplacement, de Gérard Darmon, à Bernadette Chirac en passant par Alber Elbaz, Marek Halter, Roman Polanski , Pascal Elbé ou encore Serge et Béate Klarsfeld.

L’Emotion était palpable lors de cette soirée inoubliable, notamment grâce au discours vibrant de son ami Michel Drucker. Le Gala s’est terminé en apothéose avec la reprise par Noa de l’incontournable « She ».

Noa's performance with Radio Dervish in Tel Aviv (israel)

16 January 2011
Tel Aviv Museum (Recanati Auditorium)- Museo di Tel Aviv Auditorium Recanati. 19.00h
Concert in support of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Um El Fahem

Noa's concert in New York (USA)

Known in Israel by her given name Achinoam Nini, Noa is Israel's leading international concert and recording artist. Born in Tel- Aviv in 1969, Noa lived in NYC from age 2 until her return to Israel alone at the age of 17. Her family is originally from Yemen. After serving the mandatory two years in the Israeli Army in a military entertainment unit, Noa studied music at the Rimon School where she met her long-time partner and collaborator Gil Dor.

Noa's strongest influences come from the singer-songwriters of the 60s, like Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. These musical and lyrical sensibilities, combined with Noa's Yemenite roots and Gil Dor's strong background in Jazz, Classical and Rock, have created Noa and Gil's unique sound, manifested in hundreds of songs written and performed together. Noa plays percussion, guitar and piano. She is married to Dr. Asher Barak, they have two children, Ayehli and Enea, and live in Israel.

On record

Over the span of their 15 year career together, Gil and Noa have written and produced 4 hugely successful Israeli albums : "Achinoam Nini and Gil Dor Live", "Achinoam Nini and Gil Dor " (also known as "Rachel and Leah"), and "Achinoam Nini". Their four international albums are "Noa" (produced by Pat Metheny) and "Calling" (produced by Rupert Hine) for Geffen records, "Blue Touches Blue" (produced by Mike Hedges) for Mercury records and "Now" (produced by Gil Dor & Yoad Nevo) for Universal Music. In addition, Noa has recorded a live album with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and a live cd and dvd with The Solis String Quartet. There are also various compilations available. The songwriting duo have sold over a million and a half copies of their current catalogue.

Duets and Collaborations

Noa has toured and sang with rock superstar Sting, performed her song "Child of man" with Stevie Wonder for a CBS TV special in the US, and shared the stage and microphone with many great artists, including Carlos Santana, Sheryl Crow, George Benson, Jhonny Clegg, Zucherro, Peter Maffay, Pino Daniele, Rita Marcotulli, Massimo Ranieri, Carlo Fava, Florent Pagny, Jean Jaques Goldman, Lokua Kanza, Jorge Drexler, Joan Manuel Serrat, Miguel Bose, Donovan, Maurane, Eric Serra, Pascal Obispoe, Patrique Bruel, Mike Manieri, Al Dimeola and Bustan Avraham.

The Ensemble

Noa and Gil have had various different ensembles since their early days as an acoustic duet. Their most long lived musical relationship has been with the extraordinary percussionist Zohar Fresco. The three of them have played hundreds of concerts together all over the world. Recently Noa and Gil have added the wonderful Solis String Quartet to their stage show. The meeting between the Israeli trio and the Neapolitan quartet has brought a wonderful new dimension to Noa and Gil's music.

Nini is a singer who tries to enjoy both the worlds of popular and classical music.But as Nini puts it, "there is an intrinsic connection between the music of Gil [Dor, her ongoing musical partner] and myself in our pop activities and classical music. We didn't have to bend our songs. It is a most natural extension."

Is this extension indeed that natural? Does it make sense to hear Nini sing with a full symphony orchestra? Does it makes sense for her to perform this way? As a matter of fact, nothing could be more natural. And those who attended the special Sasha Argov concert organized by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra several years ago, have already seen that Nini can be at her most natural with a full symphony orchestra backing her up.