Ensemble Nuria

Artistic director and cellist

Ayela Seidelman

Born and raised in Canada, Ayela Seidelman moved to Israel at the age of 18. She received her BMus degree from the Jerusalem Academy of Music, where she studied with Shmuel Magen, and her MMus from Rice University, where she studied cello performance with Paul Katz, with a minor in Religious Studies. She was also a pupil of Zdenek Konicek, Janos Starker, and Ofra Harnoy. Ms. Seidelman studied Baroque cello and early music performance at the Istituto Vittadini in Pavia, Italy, and was a member of the Israel Camerata Orchestra. She has released groundbreaking recordings of early Jewish music on the Brilliant Classics and Stradivarius labels. Ayela was a longstanding faculty member at the Jerusalem Conservatory Hassadna, where she taught cello and chamber music for over a decade. She is founder, researcher and artistic director of Ensemble Nuria (formerly Ensemble Bet Hagat). Her main projects with Ensemble Nuria- focussing on reviving early Italian Jewish Music, and fostering intercultural dialogue and tolerance through Jerusalem’s diverse sacred music- are supported by the Israeli Ministry of Culture and the Jerusalem Municipality. She enjoys nature, outings with her family, and wintery days, and feels privileged to be working on bringing to light nearly lost, beautiful music with exceptionally talented friends in Ensemble Nuria.

Theorbo, Lute, Baroque guitar and Musical arrangements

Bari Moscovitz

A graduate in composition from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Bari Moscovitz also completed graduate studies at the Istituto Vittadini in Pavia, Italy where he specialized in lute, theorbo and early music with Massimo Lonardi. Dedicated to the performance of early music- specifically early Jewish music, Bari has released recordings as a soloist and chamber musician with Naxos, Brilliant Classics, Stradivarius and Ortav. In addition to his work as a performer and arranger, Bari heads the music department at Harel High School outside of Jerusalem, and teaches lute and history of music at the Magnificat Academy in Jerusalem’s old city. Bari creates the original arrangements for all of Ensemble Nuria’s repertoire, as well as performing on the lute, theorbo and baroque guitar with the group. Bari is a lifelong fan of Maccabi Haifa and father to 3 children and 2 dogs. 

vocalist

David Lavi

David Lavi is a Jerusalem-based artist whose talents span singing, songwriting, acting, and music production.
Recognized for his deep music interpretations and nuanced vocal performances, Lavi also applies his work
acting in tv dramas, musicals, and behind the scenes, producing music for television and films. His work
resonates with the rich cultural fabric of Jerusalem, where he continues to contribute his distinctive voice and
vision.

Vocalist

Yair Harel

Yair Harel is a world renowned Israeli performer, singer, artistic director, teacher, and community activist. He is a
leader in the revival and contemporary interpretation of the ancient art of Piyyut, which has revolutionized the
face of Israeli culture in the past decade. Founder and editor in chief of the ‘Invitation to Piyyut’ website and
artistic director of ‘the Piyyut Ensemble’.

Vocalist

Keren Kedem

Born and raised in Jerusalem, the vocalist Keren Kedem is a mother of three beautiful children, who began her musical path at age 6. Keren performed as a member of the renowned Ankor choir and as a soloist, and studied voice at both the high school and high Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. Keren has also worked for
many years in several of Jerusalem’s foremost culinary institutions as a producer and director.

Vocalist

Father Alberto Joan Pari

The vocalist Father Alberto Joan Pari is an Italian Catholic Franciscan priest who has lived in Israel since 2007.
He studied pedagogy in Italy and completed his studies in theology in Jerusalem. Fr Pari has a BA in Holy
Scripture and biblical archeology and is also a singer, flutist, zither player, and teacher of Gregorian chant.
Director of the Magnificat Music School in Jerusalem’s Old City and lover of the beauty of inter-religious dialogue.

Baroque Violin

Refael Negri

Based in Milano, Refael Negri is a professor of modern and baroque violin at the Conservatorio Luca Marenzio
in Brescia, Italy. Prof. Negri performs worldwide with Fabio Biondi’s ‘Europa Gallante’ early music group, as well
as with Ensemble Nuria, the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra, and the Tel Aviv Soloists. Refael has performed on
CD’s released with EMI, Opus 111, Brilliant Classics, Stradivarius, and others.

Baroque and Klezmer Violin

Daniel Hoffman

Daniel Hoffman is a violinist, composer and documentary film producer, and is among the top players of the
klezmer fiddle style. He is the co-founder of the US-based groups Davka, the Klez-X, and the Israeli group Trio
Carpion. He also plays Turkish music and related traditions, and has performed with a dizzying array of
performers from disparate genres, and plays Jewish Violin with Ensemble Nuria.

Bass Colascione

Ben Har-Ga’ash

A graduate of the music department of Harel high school in Mevaseret Zion, the New-york based bass and
bass-colascione player Ben Har-Ga’ash has played with some of Israel’s greatest artists both on stage and in
the studio. His uniquely diverse musical taste has allowed him to work with a wide range of artists and genres,
from pop-rock to electronic jazz fusion, as well as early music with Ensemble Nuria. Currently a student at the
Manhattan school of music, Ben continues to work as a session musician, music teacher, and music director.

Recorders

Adi Silberberg

Adi Silberberg is a cross-genre creative musician in styles such as early music, world music, pop, rock,
electronic music, avant-garde, and Jewish music. As a multi-instrumentalist he performs on instruments from the
woodwind family, plucked and bowed string instruments, and different kinds of claviers. He’s also considered to
be one of Israel’s leading recorder artists, and is active in research and teaching in different fields of music.
Amongst his hobbies: acro-yoga and traveling.

Clarinet

Mati Bobek

​The clarinetist Mati Bobek lives in the Judean Mountains near Jerusalem, where he raises a family and treats
children and adults with Music Therapy. He received his BMus from the Mannes School of Music in Manhattan
where he studied with David Krakauer. Mati believes that music has the power to connect and to strengthen the
will.

Baroque Bassoon

Richard Paley

Richard Paley is the principal bassoonist of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, whose 40-year career
encompasses a prolific range of preeminent orchestral, chamber music, and teaching positions. Richard is a
founding member of Israel’s premier contemporary music group, as well as a pioneer in early music performance
in Israel. He is adjunct professor of bassoon and chamber music at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music at Tel
Aviv University, and is widely acclaimed as a devoted teacher of aspiring young musicians.

Percussion

Abe Doron

Born and raised in Mexico, the percussionist Abe Doron is the founder of the ‘Peimot Center for Drumming and Percussion’ in Jerusalem. Abe is known to audiences worldwide as the percussionist of the renowned Irish ‘Riverdance’ group, having performed over 1200 venues worldwide with the show. He has performed and recorded with acclaimed artists worldwide, and enjoys giving workshops on drumming and percussion.

Sound engineer

Yuval Amit

Recording talented musicians for more than 25 years, sound technician Yuval Amit is still trying to get the perfect
mix but also, equally important, trying to create the perfect hummus and keeping a constant flow of ‘dad-jokes’
around the house.

Project Production

Itamar Ben Moshe

Producer of diverse art and music events, Itamar Ben Moshe is owner of the ‘Beit Ha-Ma’ayan’, a unique venue
for intimate cultural gatherings in the Ein Karem neighborhood of Jerusalem. Itamar also specializes in teaching
breath therapy and workshops offering guidance through life processes.