Noa with Gil Dor and Mira Awad Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 8:00pm This is the 921st concert in Koerner Hall

Noa, vocals Gil Dor, Music Director & guitar

Mira Awad, vocals Guy Mintus, piano

Noa Achinoam Nini (known also as Noa), an Israeli born of Yemenite origin, was raised in the US and now resides in with her husband and three children. She is Israel’s leading international singer/songwriter, having shared the stage with superstars such as Sting, Pat Metheny, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Andrea Bocelli, and many others. She is Israel’s first Good Will Ambassador to the UN, Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, and Global Leader of Tomorrow (WEF). Together with her longstanding collaborator, Gil Dor, she has released over 16 albums which have sold millions the world over. Noa was the first Jew to perform in the Vatican 20 years ago and has done so many times since for three Popes. She has performed in the world’s most prestigious venues, including the White House and Carnegie Hall. Beyond her passionate commitment to music, Noa dedicates much of her time to promoting peace and dialogue between and and to various social issues, volunteering extensively for organizations in these fields. March 2019 sees the international release of her new musical project, Letters to Bach, on which Noa has written lyrics to 11 instrumental pieces by Johan Sebastian Bach and sings them accompanied by Gil Dor, who has arranged and produced the album. The executive producer is Quincy Jones. Tonight marks the album’s Canadian debut, as Noa will be performing selections from it during the concert.

Mira Awad Singer, songwriter, actress, and cultural activist, Mira Awad, was born in village in the in 1975 to a Palestinian father and Bulgarian mother, and she currently lives in . She is a multicultural, multidisciplinary international performer who studied music at the Rimon School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. She released two solo albums and collaborated with many international artists such as Noa, , Andrea Boccelli, Bobby McFerrin, and many others. Throughout her career, Awad developed a unique fusion of sounds, combining the east with the west, weaving the language and its oriental ornaments with western harmonies, thus creating unique modern Arabic fusion music, with a rich tapestry of sounds. As an actress, Awad participated in numerous theatre productions. Her most memorable part was Eliza Doolittle in the musical . She also starred on the highly rated series Arab Labour, hosted several TV shows, and created and co-wrote the TV drama Muna. In addition, Awad is an award-winning composer for theatre and film. She teaches stage performance and creativity skills, and gives talks around the world. Awad is an artivista – she is very much identified with the agenda of dialogue and co-existence, and uses her stage visibility to promote peace and human solidarity.

Noa made her Royal Conservatory debut on November 12, 2016, and Mira Awad is making her Conservatory debut tonight.