São Paulo – Palestinian singer Amal Murkus is coming to Brazil in September for a series of concerts. Amal sings in a post-modern style, which includes Mediterranean influences and is known for defending global appreciation of the music of her land and of the Arab countries. The tour in Brazil is promoted by the Jerusalem Institute of Brazil, and starts on September 25th, in state capital São Paulo. It ends on October 2nd, in Campinas, in the interior.
The singer interprets popular music of public domain, Arab and Palestinian. "She sings for the fight of the Palestinian people, for women, for sorrow for those who have left and for the happiness of her people," explained the superintendent of Jerusalem Institute of Brazil, Ali El-Khatib. According to El-Khatib, the Institute decided to bring Amal to the country due to the success of her other presentations, in 2002 and 2004.
The first time that Amal Murkus was in Brazil, she came at the invitation of the Social Service for Commerce and sang with Nana Caymmi, in Project All Songs for the World. The second was promoted by Jerusalem Institute. This third trip was agreed on with Amal during a trip to Palestine, in January this year. According to El-Khatib, Amal was also invited to play in a concert with the Symphony Orchestra of Campinas next year.
In this tour, Amal is gong to sing Brazilian song "Manhã de Carnaval" (Carnaval Morning), in Arabic. The singer from Palestine is going to show, in her presentations, a little of the Arab-Brazilian culture she has already experienced. The concerts begin with a presentation at Sesc Vila Mariana, on September 25th, and go on with a show at Sesc in São José do Rio Preto, on the 26th, a presentation at the Carlos Gomes Cultural Coexistence Centre, in Campinas, on the 28th, and ends with the launching of the Campinas Coffee Festival, on October 02. The Coffee Festival itself should take place next year.
In the September tour, Amal should sing accompanied by her conductor, Nassem Dakwar, who plays the lute and the violin, and Brazilian musician Sami Bordokan, on the lute, Willian Bordokan, on the darbouka, as well as Cláudio Kairós. The musicians are members of one of the best-known Arab music bands in Brazil.
The singers most recent CD is called Na’na’ ya Na’na’, which means Mint, my Mint. The Palestinian has been singing since the age of five and has already received several awards in music festivals. Apart from singing, Amal is also an actress. In 2003, she won the Best Actress award at Haifa Theatre Festival. Due to her style and to the humanitarian profile of her work, Amal has already been invited to sing with local musicians in several countries.
Service
Amal Murkus presentations in Brazil
September 25th, 26th and 28th and October 2nd
Further information: Jerusalem Institute of Brazil
Telephone: (+55 19) 3243-8329
*Translated by Mark Ament
