Christiane performing with Bobby McFerrin
You draw inspiration from many different musical
Moreover, shortly after I moved to the US, 9/11
traditions, which you blend with the Middle
happened and I felt a deep urge to promote Middle
Eastern music of your own heritage. You explore
Eastern culture in a positive light, to share the beauty
these ideas as the leader and founder of the
and intricacy of the music. ZilZALA was a great
ZilZALA Ensemble. Can you tell us more about
vessel for bringing together my different influences
the aims and work of this ensemble?
and passions for different musical traditions, but also
to promote a message of tolerance, and make Middle
The ensemble stemmed out of a need for me to make
Eastern music more accessible to Western audiences.
sense of my experience as an immigrant, but also as a
person who had grown up with very different cultures
You have performed with many notable artists,
(musical and otherwise). My mother is Armenian, my
including the Boston Pops, the Assad Brothers,
father Lebanese, and I received primarily a French
and Bobby McFerrin. What are some of your most
education before going to an American college. I
memorable experiences in performing, and why
spoke four languages by the time I was five, and
were they special to you?
musically was immersed in Western Classical,
Eastern traditional, and European and American pop
I am very blessed to have had the opportunity to
from very early on.
perform with many extraordinary musicians from