Noa Bursie

Donna "Noa" Bursie (August 27, 1956 - October 11, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter from Buffalo, New York.
Biography
Born in Buffalo, the youngest of nine children, she was a graduate of Bishop O'Hern High School and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University at Buffalo.
She taught herself to play guitar in high school and while at UB she began her career of playing on the Buffalo music scene. She was known in Buffalo’s coffeehouses and the opening act for many performers like Grammy winner Shawn Colvin at venues like Lewiston's Artpark. In the 1990s, she led a folk-rock band called Maya. Later, as a solo artist, she released two CDs - “Talk Story” in 2005 and “Familiar Addiction” in 2008.
In 2007, she was an opening act for Richie Havens, India Arie and Los Lobos. She also was a regular performer at benefit concerts and collaborated with lyricist Christina Abt on a tribute song for the victims of the Flight 3407 plane crash in 2009, “Love Knows No Boundaries,” donating the proceeds to a memorial to the tragedy.
She was named Buffalo's best solo artist of the year in 2008 by Spree Magazine. Bursie taught International Baccalaureate World Literature and Theory of Knowledge at City Honors School in Buffalo until September 2010, when she left the school and went on disability due to her illness.
Personal life
She converted to Judaism and took the name Noa, one of the daughters of Zelophehad from the Book of Exodus.
Noa died after a lengthy illness, aged 57. Graveside services were held in B’Nai Israel Cemetery, Cheektowaga. She was survived by a son, four brothers and two sisters.
Discography
*2005: Talk story
*2008: Familiar Addiction

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