Monika Jalili
Encyclopedia
Monika Jalili is a vocalist singing songs of Iran
, mostly in Persian
.
Born in the United States
, Monika is of Dutch
, German and Iranian descent. She studied music at The Manhattan School of Music. She was a student of Beverley Peck Johnson. Monika actively pursued a musical theater career in New York and appeared with such talents as Steve Allen
and John Astin
until her passion for songs of Iran led her, in 2004, to create a project called NoorSaaz with the help of Megan Weeder (now Gould) to explore and perform songs from Iran. The musicians of NoorSaaz captured the hearts of young and old Iranians around the world after their October 2005 webcast from Trinity Church on Wall Street
. Monika has performed and been interviewed on Iran
ian television and radio from studios in Los Angeles
aired worldwide since 2003. She sings in Persian
, French
and English language
s. Her works are based on Persian folk songs
and Persian traditional music, but are naturally infused with her western music training.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, mostly in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
.
Born in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Monika is of Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
, German and Iranian descent. She studied music at The Manhattan School of Music. She was a student of Beverley Peck Johnson. Monika actively pursued a musical theater career in New York and appeared with such talents as Steve Allen
Steve Allen
Steve Allen may refer to:*Steve Allen , American musician, comedian, and writer*Steve Allen , presenter on the London-based talk radio station LBC 97.3...
and John Astin
John Astin
John Allen Astin is an American actor who has appeared in numerous films and television shows, and is best known for the role of Gomez Addams on The Addams Family, and other similarly eccentric comedic characters.-Early years:...
until her passion for songs of Iran led her, in 2004, to create a project called NoorSaaz with the help of Megan Weeder (now Gould) to explore and perform songs from Iran. The musicians of NoorSaaz captured the hearts of young and old Iranians around the world after their October 2005 webcast from Trinity Church on Wall Street
Trinity Church, New York
Trinity Church at 79 Broadway, Lower Manhattan, is a historic, active parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York...
. Monika has performed and been interviewed on Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian television and radio from studios in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
aired worldwide since 2003. She sings in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
s. Her works are based on Persian folk songs
Iranian folk music
Despite all common roots the folk music in each different part of Iran has certain characteristics in correlation with its native myths, dialects, geographical and social situation...
and Persian traditional music, but are naturally infused with her western music training.