Musical Career
Murkus is a member of the counseling board of Free Muse, an organization working against the censorship of art and music. She took an active part in its congress in Denmark in 2003. Amal is currently studying art as a tool for social change at Musrara College in Jerusalem.ref req
Murkus appears regularly on TV in various educational and cultural programs. She has also appeared in feature films and was nominated for the Israeli Oscar for her performance in Ali Nasar's movie The Milky Way. In 2003, Murkus won 'Best Actress' at the Haifa Theatre Festival. Her extensive vocal range and abilities enable Murkus to sing in a wide variety of genres, from traditional Arab to modern popular western styles. As a result, she has created some remarkable collaborations with other artists and international musicians, including Joan Baez in an anti-war concert that took place in Tel Aviv in 1988; Mercedes Sosa; Oliver Shante, Germany; Stadio, Italy; the Greek singer Glykeria; Noa; Anwar Ebrahem from Tunisia, Enzo Avetable of Italy; Nana Caymmi in Brazil; Robert Wyatt in the UK and The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (UK) in 2005, and many others.
Murkus has also completed projects with the Palestinian poets Mahmoud Darwish in Nazareth in 2000 and Kafr Yasif in 1999, and Samih al-Qasim in 2006. Murkus has received many commendations for her unique art and music and for her work with local communities.
In 2001, Murkus was chosen by Austrian TV as one of the most beautiful voices of the 20th century, after taking part in a music film produced by the ARTE TV "Premadonas Fest", by the director-musician Andrew Heller, with Jesse Norman and Harris Alexiou, D.D. Bridgewater and others. Her first album, self-entitled “Amal” was written and composed by a diverse group of artists and musicians. It was released internationally in 2000 by EMI Hemisphere.
Her second album Shauq ("Longing") was recorded live in April 2004, at the Crown Hall in Jerusalem, with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Her third album is Na'na' ya Na'na' ("peppermint, O peppermint").
Past performances: Amal has appeared in an array of international music festivals, including: Womex (Spain); Festival Of Arab Arts (Liverpool, UK); Bath Festival (UK); Tudos Os Cuntus De Nondos (Brazil); "Almadina" (Tunisia); Ethnos (Italy); Ethnic Music Festival (Sicily); The Whit Night (Naples); The Jubilee Day Live Show (Vatican 2000);The Dho Ziff, Festival Of World Culture (Ireland);"Elias Crean" (Madrid); Casa De Arab Official Evening (Madrid); Tira & Peace (San Marino); "Voices " (Luxemburg); and The Royal Festival (London). Yaffa Cafe and Bookshop December 8, 2007 Jaffa Israel.
Amal has toured in Italy, Germany, France, Russia, Brazil, Spain, Denmark, Bulgaria, Greece and others. Compilations & Guest Appearances: 1998 Seven Times Seven – Oliver Shanty and Friends (Satva Music Germany) 1999 Voices From The World – Various Artists (NMC) 1999 Sweet Sorrw, Glykeria – Amal featured on the Single “The Mothers Prayer" (NMC) 1999 Radio Darwesh, Amal appeared as a guest performing 2 Songs (Polygram Italy) 2000, In Paradiso Conte, Duet With "Stadio" (EMI Italy) 2002 Majles Arab Songs (Virgin) 2002 Ethno (Eros, Greece) 2003 EMI Australia 2005 Label Bleu – France. 2007 Putumayo – World Music USA.
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