Katia Makdissi-Warren
Québec, 1970
Katia Makdissi-Warren studied composition in Quebec and in Hamburg, as well as Arabic and Syrian music in Beirut. An innovative composer, she drew attention on the national and international scene by her unique style, where the music of the Middle-East, the West and Native America meet. Furthermore, in 2006 she founded the Oktoécho ensemble, specialized in cultural mixing, for which she regularly composes in addition to being the artistic director. Her aesthetic of fusion drove her to work regularly – at once as composer, ensemble director and performer – with the Native American, Arab and Jewish communities. While staying deeply committed to diverse cultural communities, Katia Makdissi-Warren is extremely active in the milieu of contemporary music, having received commissions from symphonic orchestras, chamber music ensembles and various performers in Canada, France, Germany, Lebanon, Morocco, Argentina and Spain. She has written numerous soundtracks for the stage, dance, film, television and exhibitions in Canada, France, Singapore, Japan and the Arab Emirates – including that of the permanent exhibition of Burj-Khalifa of Dubaï, tallest skyscraper in the world.