Back Bay Resident Christiane Karam Produces Middle Eastern Festival

On Monday, March 3rd beginning at 8:15 pm, the Berklee Performance Center will host the Berklee Middle Eastern Festival: The Music of Armenia. The festival’s founder and director, Christiane Karam, is an assistant professor in voice, ensemble and songwriting at Berklee and a resident of Back Bay. She chose this year’s Armenian theme in honor of her own Armenian heritage. Highlighting this region’s musical traditions, the concert will feature the Perspectives Ensemble, Sato Moughalian, A cappella folk trio Zulal, the Pletenitsa Choir, the Sayat Nova Dance Troupe, the Berklee World strings, and will even include live painting by Kevork Mourad.

Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, Christiane Karam has made a global impression with her versatile skill-set. After teaching for several years, she moved to Boston to study at Berklee. She received a dual degree in film scoring and songwriting, and went on to earn a masters degree in Contemporary Improvisation from the New England Conservatory. She is known for her unique vocal styles and infusion of music from contrasting cultures to create distinct sounds. Karam is the leader and founder of the award-winning ZilZALA Ensemble, which blends classical, traditional, and folk music from different regions of the Middle East and the Balkans with contemporary jazz.

Karam has performed with many world-renowned musicians and ensembles, including Yanka Rupkina, the New York Arabic Orchestra, the Assad Brothers, Berklee Mediterranean Music Institute artistic director Javier Limon, Bobby McFerrin, and many others. She is also an award-winning songwriter (the USA Songwriting Competition, SESAC, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest) and has taken home awards for many of her songs, such as “I’m Alive,” “Breathe,” “Look Up to the Sky,” “Tell me a Story,” and for her album “Songs of the People.”

Besides being a talented multi-instrumentalist and composer, Christiane Karam is also a staunch activist for peace and non-violence. Berklee honored her in 2001 for her “outstanding contribution to international goodwill and understanding” for a peace concert she produced following the events of 9/11.

Come experience Karam’s vast array of talents as they come to life in this unique showcase of Armenian music and culture. The Berklee Performance Center is located at 136 Massachusetts Ave, and is wheelchair accessible. For more information and tickets, please visit berklee.edu/bpc.