Nori Jacoby Nori Jacoby (b. 1979) combines different aspects of science and music in his academic and creative careers. Trained as a mathematician and neuroscientist, Nori's research explores cognition and music perception using mathematical models. He has been on the faculty at Bar Ilan University in Israel since 2009. His research interests lie in the application of methods from the domain of computational neuroscience to the domain of music cognition, primarily in the mathematical modeling of sensorimotor synchronization in the form of tapping experiments.
He is currently exploring these as a doctoral candidate at the Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he is working with Prof. Naftali Tishby and Prof. Merav Ahissar. Other areas of research include collaborations with musicologists in topics in music cognition and neuroscience. He has also co-taught a graduate seminar at the  Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation on Music and the Brain with Professors Eli Nelkin, Roni Granot and Naftali Tishby.
As director of the Music and Technology program at Bar Ilan University, Nori has taught the following courses: Audio Synthesis, Advanced Studio Recording, Live Electronics Workshop, Arduino Workshop, Max and MIDI Applications, Sound Engineering and Audio Applications, a Music Cognition Workshop, and has co-taught a class on Music Cognition and Mathematics together with Professor Eytan Agmon. In addition to teaching and research, Nori maintains an active international career as a composer and violist, specializing in diverse fields ranging from ethnic Jewish music to electronic and contemporary classical music. His music has been featured at distinguished festivals around the world, including the Sounds of Israel Festival at the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie (2012), Lviv Klezfest (2011), Singapore Art Festival (2006), Chicago World Music Festival (2005), Melbourne Festival (2005), Krakow Dance Festival (2001) and the Israel Festival (2007, 2004, 2003). Many of his works have been recorded an recorded and broadcast by the Israeli radio. Nori also has a special interest in experimental theater, and in early 2009 was featured in a multimedia project “Kings of Misery” at the Jerusalem Spoken Word Festival, where he combined his interests in neuroscience and contemporary music in portraying different characters based on the writings of Oliver Sacks. In 2009, Nori released a CD with his band Tafillalt on John Zorn's Radical Jewish Culture Label, Tzadik. Tafillalt have performed widely throughout Israel, as well as the USA, Germany, United Kingdom, Hungary, and Ukraine. Listen to some of Nori's music here. View Nori's collaboration with Andre Hajdu in their NeurOpera, a musical dramatization of case studies by Oliver Sacks. Watch Nori lecture as part of the Hebrew University's Music and the Brain Course Read a feature on Nori and the BIU Music Tech Program in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. (in Hebrew)
Contact:    nori.viola (at) gmail (dot) com
Publications
2013	Jacoby, Nori, Dmitri Tymoczko and Naftali Tishby. “Information Bottleneck and Functional Harmony.” In review.
2013	Dina Lipkind, Gary Marcus, Douglas Bemis, Kazutoshi Sasahara, Nori Jacoby, Miki Takahashi, Kenta Suzuki, Olga Feher, Primoz Ravbar, Kazuo Okanoya and Ofer Tchernichovski. “Stepwise acquisition of vocal combinatorial capacity in songbirds and human infants.” Nature, accepted for publication.
2012	Jacoby, Nori and Bruno H. Repp. “A General Linear Framework for the Comparison and Evaluation of Models of Sensorimotor Synchronization.” Biological Cybernetics, vol. 106/3, 135-154. doi: 10.1007/s00422-012-0482-x.
2011	Repp, Bruno H., Peter E. Keller, and Nori Jacoby. "Quantifying Phase Correction in Sensorimotor Synchronization: Empirical Comparison of Three Paradigms." Acta Psychologica 139, no. 2: 281-90.
2011	Granot, Roni Y., and Nori Jacoby. "Musically Puzzling I: Sensitivity to Overall Structure in the Sonata Form?" Musicae Scientiae 15, no. 3: 365-86. doi: 10.1177/1029864911409508
2011	Granot, Roni Y., and Nori Jacoby. "Musically Puzzling II: Sensitivity to Overall Structure in a Haydn e-minor Sonata?" Musica Scientiae 16 no. 1: 67-80.  doi:10.1177/1029864911423146.
1998 - 2007	While in the IDF's research division in mathematics and computer science, authored a number of articles including a significant advance in the field of computer science, which garnered the prestigious Israeli Defense Forces C^41 Prize. These articles are not in the public sphere.
2004	Lawrence, Ruth and Nori Jacoby. "Some Computations of Ohtsuki Series,"  Advances in Topological Quantum Field Theory, eds J. Bryden, Kluwer (2004) 53-70.
Conference Presentations
2013	"Information, Working Memory and Prediction: A Mathematical Metaphor for Art, Music and Perception?" Paper at The 2013 Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, Florence, Italy. October 5, 2013.
2013	"Audio-Only Augmented Reality System for Social Interaction." Tom Gurion and Nori Jacoby. Poster presentation at The 15th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Nevada, USA. July 24-26, 2013.
2013	"Audio-Only Augmented Reality System for Social Interaction." Tom Gurion and Nori Jacoby. Paper at IEEE ISTAS’13, Toronto, Canada. June 28, 2013.
2013	"Information, Categorization and Prediction: A Mathematical Metaphor for Art Music and Perception?" Talk at the Information, Representation and Learning: An international workshop in honor of Prof. Naftali Tishby, Jerusalem, Israel May 30, 2013.
2013	"Information, Categorization and Prediction: A Mathematical Metaphor for Art Music and Perception?" Talk at Music and Brains: the Surprising Link, Jerusalem, Israel, February 11, 2013.
2013	"Tapping Working Memory with Sensorimotor Synchronization." Poster presentation at the Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation's Annual Retreat, Ein Gedi, Israel January 27-29, 2013.
2012	"Tapping Working Memory with Sensorimotor Synchronization." Poster presentation at the Israel Society for Neuroscience's 2012 Annual Conference, Eilat, Israel, December 16, 2012.
2012	"Kernel Information Bottleneck" paper presented at the NIPS (Neural Information Processing Systems Foundation) workshop on "Information in Perception and Action," Lake Tahoe, Nevada, December 7-8, 2012.
2012	"Tapping Working Memory with Sensorimotor Synchronization." Poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience's 2012 Annual Conference, New Orleans, USA, October 17, 2012.
2012	"Kernel Information Bottleneck." Talk at the Monte Verita Workshop on Music and Neuroscience, Ascona, Switzerland, March 18-23, 2012.
2012	"Kernel Information Bottleneck." Paper presented at the Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation's Annual Retreat, Ein Gedi, February 5, 2012.
2011	“When the Rat Heard Ligeti: Neural Sensitivity to Auditory Structure.” Yael Bitterman, Ayaelet Hashahar-Shapira, Itai Hershenhoren, Nori Jacoby, Amit Yaron and Israel Nelken.  Poster presentation at the 20^th Annual Meeting of the Israel Society for Neuroscience, Eilat, Israel. December 11-13, 2011.
2011	“Multiple Neural Networks Depicted by Continuous Measurement of the Musical Emotional Experience.” Neomi Singer, Donna Abecasis, Eran Pasternak, Nori Jacoby, Roni Y. Granot, Talma Hendler. Neurosciences and Music Conference IV: Learning and Memory. Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. 9 - 12 June 2011.
2011	“When the Rat Heard Ligeti:  Neural Sensitivity to Auditory Structure.” Yael Bitterman, Ayaelet Hashahar-Shapira, Itai Hershenhoren, Nori Jacoby, Amit Yaron and Israel Nelken.  Faculty Day, Dept. of Neurobiology, the Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation and the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, May 19, 2011.
2011	"Preliminary Results with the Action Perception Model of Tapping" at the Columbia / Gatsby / ICNC Workshop, Columbia University, USA, May 16, 2011.
2011	"A General Linear Framework for the Comparison and Evaluation of Models of Sensorimotor Synchronization." Joint presentation with Bruno Repp at WEST (Western Society for Sequence and Timing), Santa Barbara, February 19, 2011.
2011	"Action Perception Model of Sensorimotor Synchronization." Paper presented at the Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation's Annual Retreat, Ein Gedi, January 16-18, 2011.
2010	"Preliminary Results with the Action Perception Model of Sensorimotor Synchronization." Paper presented at the 19^th Annual Meeting of the Israel Society for Neuroscience, Eilat, Israel. December 12-14, 2010.
Tutorials and Guest Lectures
2013	"Information, Categorization and Prediction: A Mathematical Metaphor for Art Music and Perception?" Guest lecture at the Electrical Engineering Systems Department Seminar Series at Tel-Aviv University, June 3, 2013.
2013	"Information, Categorization and Prediction: A Mathematical Metaphor for Art Music and Perception?"; Invited lecture at at the The Gonda Brain Research Center Weekly Seminar (Spring-Summer Series) at Bar Ilan University, March 18.
2011	"Reinforcement Learning and Computational Methods in Music Cognition" tutorial at the 3rd International Conference on Mathematics and Computation in Music (MCM 2011) at IRCAM, Paris, France, June 16, 2011.
2011	"Music Theater and Revelation: on Composing the Music for 'Eternal Love,' a Play About the Life of Rabbi Moses Haim Luzato." Invited Speaker at the Interdisciplinary Conference in Honor of Cabbalistic Scholar Isaiah Tishby. National Library and Archives, Jerusalem, Israel. May 23, 2011.
2011	"Sound Editing for Experimental Design" tutorial at the 3rd meeting of the Israeli Music Cognition Group (IMCOG), Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, March 18, 2011.
2010	"Modeling Sensorimotor Synchronization." Guest lecture by invitation of Prof. Eve Poudrier at Yale University, March 2, 2010.
2010	"Linear Models of Sensorimotor Synchronization." Guest lecture given at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, Stanford University, February 17, 2010.
2010	"Statistical Metrics to Measure Sensitivity to Overall Structure in Sonata Form" (joint work with Dr. Roni Granot, Hebrew University of Jerusalem). Guest lecture by invitation of Prof. Jonathan Berger, Stanford University, February 16, 2010.
Selected Compositions
2009	NeurOpera, A Dramatization of Case Studies By Oliver Sacks with Andre Hajdu For 2 actors, wind quintet, pianist, and live electronics. Premiered at the 2009 "Sound of the Word" Festival, Haifa, Israel.
2008	Divorce For 2 violas and 2 computers. Premiered at the 2008 Sound of Word Festival, Jerusalem, Israel.
2007	An die Musik For string quartet. Premiered at the 2007 Israel Music Festival in Jerusalem, Israel.
2006	Jerusalem Dream For Mongolian throat singer, overtone singer, Middle-Eastern singer, string quartet, oud and men's chorus. Premiered at the 2006 Singapore Art Festival.
2006	Dream of the Night A mini-opera for three flutes, quanun, string quartet, men's chorus and soprano. Premiered at Haifa University, 2006.
2002	Symphonic Concerto For symphony orchestra. Premiered at the "Sounds From The Desert" Festival in Sde Boker,Israel.
2002	Lullaby For harpsichord, piano, string quintet, clarinet, bassoon and singer. Premiered at the Mishkenot-Sha'ananim Center in Jerusalem 2002, also broadcast live on radio.
1999	Kaprizma For string quintet, clarinet, percussion and guitar. Premiered at the Mishkenot-Sha'ananim Center in Jerusalem 2002, also broadcast live on radio.
1999	Strange Music for a mini ballet by choreographer Nima Jacoby. Featured at the 1999 Jewish Culture Festival at the Place Theater in London, the 2000 DuOman Festival in Israel, and at the 2001 World Dance Festival in Krakow.
Awards and Distinctions
2012	Daniel Amit Memorial Prize in Computational Neuroscience.
2008	Margalit Prize for Theater Music.
2004	Awarded the Israeli Defense Forces C^4I Prize for Significant Creative Work in the Sciences.
2003 - 2004	Scholarship from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation for Composition.
2005	Finalist for the Silk Road Commissioning Search in partnership with Carnegie Hall.
2003	Summa Cum Laude distinction awarded by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for his Masters' Thesis: "Computation of Ohtsuki's Series for Manifolds Created by Surgery Around Two-Strand Knots."
2003	Awarded the Israeli Defense Forces' Prize for Algorithmic Development.
2000	Summa Cum Laude distinction awarded by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for his Bachelor's Degree in Sciences.
2000	Awarded Honorable Mention at the Du Oman Festival for his score for "Strange."
1997 - 1998	Scholarship from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation for Composition.
1996	Award at the 1996 European Short Movies Competition for his score for the animation film Chronos.
1992 - 1998	Dean's List Awards for Excellence in Mathematics, the Open University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Discography
Taffilalt (Tzadik, 2009)	Kolmus HaNefesh (JMC, 2009)	Live at the T.A. Museum (Kadima, 2006)	Scenes from an Ideal Marriage (Kadima, 2010)
J. C. Jones with Friends: Duos II (Kadima, 2005)	One Afternoon (Kadima, 2010)	Jerusalem Dream (2006)	J. C. Jones: ReComp (2008)
Critical Acclaim in Music
"Jacoby sounds for all the world like Gidon Kremer doing Berg." Jason Bivens, Cadence Magazine, 2011
"Adventurous arrangements breaking new ground in Jewish Music." John Zorn, Tzadik, 2009
"Jacoby manages to weave all these elements into a complex and moving composition that successfully blends seemingly alien components into a single, cohesive musical construct... Outstanding." Eyal HaReuveni, All About Jazz, 2006
"Navigates the multi-cultural sound spectrum of modern 21^st-century Israel and presents a unique interpretation of various traditional and modern Jewish materials." Lloyd Masel, Yedioth Acharonot Newspaper, 2009