Nurit Hirsh

Nurit Hirsh
Nurit Hirsh
Background information
Birth name	נורית הירש
Born	(1942-08-13)13 August 1942 Israel
Occupation	Film composer

Nurit Hirsh(Hebrew:נורית הירש,born August 13, 1942) is an Israeli composer, arranger and conductor who has written over a thousandHebrewsongs.Three of her most famous and widely known songs areBa-Shanah ha-Ba'ah(Next Year,lyrics byEhud Manor),Oseh Shalom bi-Meromav(text from theKaddishprayer).andA-Ba-Ni-Bi,the winning entry in the1978 Eurovision Song Contest.

Biography

Nurit Hirsh (Rosenfeld) studied at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv, majoring in piano. She also studied composition withMordecai Seter,orchestration withNoam Sheriffand conducting with László Roth. She studied clarinet with Yaacov Barnea of theIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra.Hirsh did herIDFmilitary service with the entertainment troupe of the armored corps. She began composing upon completion of her service, debuting withPerach Halilach,composed in 1965 to lyrics byUri Asafand which was made famous by singerChava Alberstein.

Music career

In 1971 her song "Bashana Haba'a" was covered by Joy as "Next Year" produced by Rod McBrien.

WithIlanitshe participated in the Athens song contest. Also in 1971 she represented Israel in the Split Song Festival (Yugoslavia) with ‘Na’ari bayam beito’, performed by Edna Goren, in a Serbo-Croatian version (‘Moren plovi dragi tvoj’), by Ibrica Jusić. In the Viña del Mar Song Festival in Chile she obtained the second prize with ‘Hora nova’ performed byAliza Azikri.She obtained first prize in the 1972 Malta Children's Song Festival with ‘Makhela Aliza’.

In 1973, her songEy Sham,performed byIlanit,placed fourth in theEurovision Song Contestin Luxembourg. She orchestrated the song and conducted the orchestra. She was the second female conductor in the contest afterMonica Dominique,who conducted theSwedishentryYou're Summerthe same year.

She won the IBA Children's Festival in 1976 with ‘Lassie shuvi habaita’ sung byEdna Lev.

In the1978 Eurovision Song Contest,again she conducted the orchestra for the Israeli entryA-Ba-Ni-Bi,which she had composed, and which won first prize.

In 1979 she wrote ‘Papa Popeye’ which won the Portuguese Children's Song Festival ofFigueira da Foz.In the same year she wrote ‘I want to tell the world about you’ which came second in the Castlebar Song Festival (Ireland).

She won the IBA Children's Festival with ‘Shuvi harmonica’ in 1984 and ‘Lo na’atsor’ in 1985, both sung byYardena Arazi.

Hirsh wrote the film scores for fourteen Israeli movies, among themLupo!,Katz and Karasso,Behind Wallsand theEphraim Kishonmovie,The Policeman,which was nominated for best foreign picture at the 1972 Academy Awards. She conducted the musicalSallah Shabatiduring its three-year run at Israel's national theaterHabima.

In February 2000, she was the guest of honor at a special tribute concert at theMann Auditoriumin Tel Aviv, where she played piano with the Israel Philharmonic. She has performed together with her daughter, Ruth Rosenfeld, an opera singer, at venues around the world.

She regularly collaborated withEhud Manorand set many of his songs to music, among themHabatim Shenigmeru Leyad Hayam,Bashanah Haba'ah,Lalechet Shevi Acharayichand tens of other hits, the majority of which were performed by Ilanit, Ofra Fuchs andRivka Zohar.Hirsh is also known forOseh Shalom Bimromav,which was composed for the firstHasidic Song Festival,held in 1969, and which took third prize. Her melody has since become part of the liturgy in synagogues and Jewish communities worldwide.

Awards and recognition

Hirsh won the 2001ACUMlife achievement award for songwriting; the 2006 lifetime achievement award fromBar-Ilan University;and the 2006 Woman of the Year award from Lions Club Israel.In March 2016, it was announced that Hirsh would receive theIsrael Prize.In July, 2018, Nurit received the “Hallel v’Zimrah” award at the 29th North American Jewish Choral Festival.