Christiane Karam

Born and raised in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon, vocalist/composer Christiane Karam earned her diploma in classical piano at age sixteen and taught and performed for several years before moving to Boston to study voice, composition and jazz at the Berklee College of Music. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a dual degree in film scoring and songwriting, and went on to receive her Masters degree in Contemporary Improvisation from the New England Conservatory of Music, where she was named the Kimball P. Stickney Scholar for two consecutive years. Christiane’s unique vocal style stems from her love for different musical traditions. She 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. She has had the privilege of sharing the stage with the likes of Yanka Rupkina, Hüsnü Senlendirici, Javier Limon, the NY Gypsy All-Stars, Pelageya, George Megardichian, Ran Blake, Bassam Saba, the New York Arabic Orchestra, Jamey Haddad, the Assad Brothers, Simon Shaheen and Bobby McFerrin. She has performed at venues & festivals such as Carnegie Hall, Summerstage, Celebrate Brooklyn!, Symphony Space, the Koprivshtitsa Festival, the Plovdiv Academy & the Moscow International House of Music among others. She appeared in the 2009 PBS documentary film "The Music Instinct: Science and Song", featuring Bobby McFerrin, Daniel Levitin, Oliver Sacks, Daniel Barenboim, and Yo-Yo Ma, and has also been featured on VH1. In addition to performing, Christiane is an award-winning songwriter (the USA Songwriting Competition, SESAC, The John Lennon Songwriting contest), and was honored by Berklee for her “outstanding contribution to international goodwill and understanding” for a multi-national peace concert she produced in the aftermath of 9/11. She is currently on the faculty of Berklee College of Music, as an Assistant Professor in Voice, Ensemble and Songwriting. She is the founder and leader of the Berklee Annual Middle Eastern Festival, and actively continues her work of bringing awareness and Positive Social Change through music and the arts. Christiane's latest release, 'Eastern Tapestries', celebrates the different vocal traditions of the Middle East, the Balkans and Central Asia, and ranges from traditional renditions to in the moment contemporary improvisations. 'WAHDA/We Are All One' (Eastern Tapestries)-Let the rhythms of the world unite and not divide us! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Vj85SJ--4