Fifth Annual Middle Eastern Festival
each other instead of dismissing the other based on
styles, as the founder and director of the Annual
differences or prejudice. Of course there is so much
Middle Eastern festival. Everyone serious about a
work yet to be done, in terms of tolerance and
career in music would benefit greatly from a thorough
reaching out to one another... but I feel many people
music education and I have to say, having studied
are readier today than in the past, and that‟s a positive
there myself, Berklee offers one of the most
trend.
comprehensive (if not THE most comprehensive)
contemporary music educations in the world. It is
You are currently on the faculty of Berklee
truly a privilege to have gone there, and to have the
College of Music, as an Assistant Professor in
opportunity to give back to the next generation of
Voice, Ensemble and Songwriting. What are the
musicians. Moreover, I feel very humbled to have
benefits that students can gain through studying
contributed to the establishment of a Middle Eastern
music?
and Balkan program, and given natives of those
regions a voice to express and explore their roots in
My work at Berklee College of Music brings me
great joy. I teach voice, songwriting and ensembles,
and do a lot of work with Middle Eastern and Balkan
an otherwise foreign environment.