10th Annual Berklee Middle Eastern Festival Celebrates Music from Around the World
Armenian pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan will perform again at this year's Berklee Middle Eastern Festival.
Image by Kelly Davidson
Christiane Karam, associate professor in the Voice Department, will direct the concert Berklee Middle Eastern Festival: Celebrating 10 Years.
Image by Kelly Davidson
Berklee will present the 10th annual Berklee Middle Eastern Festival on Thursday, March 1, as part of its Signature Series. Founded and directed by Christiane Karam B.M. ‘03, associate professor in the Voice Department, the festival brings together guest artists, community musicians, Berklee students, visual artists, and dancers from all over the world to celebrate the music of the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Mediterranean.
This year, the festival will feature a stellar lineup of guest performers for its 10th anniversary. Last year’s Middle Eastern Festival headliner, the innovative Armenian pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan, will return to the stage for another memorable performance. The concert will include acclaimed Ukrainian pianist and composer Vadim Neselovskyi ’04, assistant professor in the Piano Department, who will perform with the Vadim Neselovskyi Trio.
Additional Middle Eastern Festival performers include Palestinian singer and postmodern musician Amal Murkus, and acclaimed musical collective Women of the World, with principles representing India, Italy, Japan, Haiti, and the United States. Rounding out the lineup will be the Pletenitsa Balkan Choir, a primarily female chorus that encourages cultural exchange through choral and folk musical adaptations, and Berklee World Strings, which showcases the talents of Berklee musicians from Jordan, Spain, Ecuador, Turkey, China, Canada, and the United States, among other countries.
"The upcoming edition of the Middle Eastern Festival will draw on music and artistry from across the world to celebrate 10 incredible years,” said Karam. “We are thrilled to be showcasing the talents of global superstars alongside our outstanding student ensembles. It's a joy and an honor not only to be able to bring such extraordinary artists to Berklee and share their tremendous gifts with our musical community, but also to witness the magic that happens when different cultures come together and learn from one another."
Berklee Middle Eastern Festival: Celebrating 10 Years takes place Thursday, March 1, 8:00 p.m., at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA. Reserved seating tickets are available for $8/$12 at the BPC box office or berklee.edu/bpc. The venue is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 617-747-2261.