Christiane Karam

Born and raised in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon, Christiane Karam has a
unique vocal style that stems from her love of different musical traditions.
She is the founder of the award-winning ensemble ZilZALA, which blends
the traditions of the Middle East and the Balkans with contemporary jazz.
She has shared the stage with Yanka Rupkina, Hlsnu Senlendirici, the New

 

York Gypsy All Stars, the Assad Brothers, Binka Dobreva, Javier Limén,
and Bobby McFerrin. She has performed at venues and festivals such as Carnegie Hall,
SummerStage, Celebrate Brooklyn!, Symphony Space, the Koprivshtitsa Folk Festival, and
the Moscow International House of Music.

In addition to performing, Karam is an award-winning songwriter and film composer.
She also is a staunch activist for cultural understanding, tolerance, and nonviolent conflict
resolution. Currently an associate professor in the Voice Department at Berklee College of
Music, she is the founder and leader of the Berklee Middle Eastern Festival, and actively
brings awareness and positive social change through music and the arts. She also teaches
workshops around the world and coleads the annual Circlesongs workshop at the Omega
Institute, alongside McFerrin and members of Voicestra.

Berklee Middle Eastern Fusion Ensemble

The Berklee Middle Eastern Fusion Ensemble was created
in 2006 by Christiane Karam as a platform for cultural
understanding and a space for Eastern and Western musical
languages, traditional and contemporary, to intersect and

 

g converse. The ensemble has performed extensively over the
years, shanng the stage with Hisnu Senlendirici, Javier Limén, Simon Shaheen, Bassam
Saba, Binka Dobreva, and many others.

Pletenitsa Balkan Choir

Founded by Christiane Karam in 2011, the Pletenitsa Balkan
Choir explores the choral traditions and folk music adapta-
tions of the Balkans, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and parts
of the Mediterranean. It includes and welcomes singers from

 

all over the world, and serves not only as a platform for cultur-
al exchange, but also as an opportunity to come together and celebrate the beauty and
spirit that connects us all. The Pletenitsa Balkan Choir has performed to rave reviews in
Boston, Massachusetts, and New York City, New York, and has shared the stage with Zulal,
Juliana Svetlichnya, Mario Frangoulis, José Mercé, Javier Limén, and Binka Dobreva.

Berklee World Strings

Eugene Friesen, cellist and Berklee associate professor, is the
conductor of Berklee World Strings. A graduate of the Yale
School of Music, where he studied with Brazilian cellist Aldo
Parisot, Friesen is active internationally as a concert artist,

J composer, conductor, and teacher. Friesen has won three
Grammys for his work with the Paul Winter Consort. His passion for the responsive flow of

 

improvisatory music has led him to work and record with such diverse artists as Dave
Brubeck, Toots Thielemans, Betty Buckley, Will Ackerman, Joe Lovano, and Dream Theater.