Fête de la Francophonie 2017 – Music Artist Abaji in Malta in April

La Fête de la Francophonie each year drums up excitement with festivals of music and song
bonanzas for families all over the world. It does not only attract the 274 million who speak French but
also those who love the French language and use it to access French culture ranging from the arts,
entertainment, education and the social media. French, a widespread official working language in
international institutions especially the UN and the EU, is taught to school children and university
students on all the continents. Since 1883 more than 850 centres of the Alliance Française introduce
millions of young and adult persons, businessmen and diplomats to French in 137 countries. There is a
shared linguistic space with millions participating in mutual exchanges among many nations. Those
benefitting from such enhancing experiences include the public at large but also professional
associations, journalists, authors, NGOs and artists. Whole families, including the young and the old,
just love French.

World-known Abaji is one musical performer who loves the French language and music. Born in
Lebanon of Greek and Armenian descent, Frenchman Abaji is France’s ambassador to many
communities, producing fun in sounds and words for all the family. Through the services of the
French Embassy, he will be in Malta on the afternoon of Saturday April 8 at the Catholic
Institute in Floriana engaging persons of all ages in a wonderful musical and singing session that
makes French just cool. The audience in Malta will not only sing and clap in rhythmical motions…it
will also connect with the performer in boundless bundles of excitement. Groups and families as well
as individuals are invited. Entrance to the show starting at 4 pm is free.
Abaji has already entertained packed audiences in Guatemala last year; that was followed with
successful performances in Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Egypt, France, Haiti, Kosovo, Mexico,
Qatar, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vietnam besides Panama and New Zealand. This multi-instruments
performer has just launched his latest new album called Route & Roots. During April he is also keenly
expected to perform in Paris in a top song and dance concert.

Abaji’s path to music is as colourful as his artistic presentations. He arrived in France in 1976 and
immediately showed a passion for traditional Chinese medicine; he studied at the Medical University
in Paris to graduate as a therapist. But music is a tradition in the family so he began learning the
guitar at eleven followed by several other instruments: the clarinet, percussions, bouzouki and flutes.
Later he worked on the transformation of instruments to synthesize his musical passions: Indian
music, Oriental music and blues. Always searching for new ideas, he played the guitar with a violin
bow on stage in a number of international festivals.

In 1996, Abaji composed his first album Paris-Beyrouth, singing in French, Arabic and English. He
then followed with Bedouin Blues and Nomad Spirit, an album where great musicians were invited to
play on different pieces. Abaji also composed film and TV soundtracks amongst them the music of
Jean-Charles Deniaud’s documentary Le Temps des Otages in 2009. During the same year he recorded
his fifth album Origine Orients, singing in French, Arabic, Greek, Turkish and Armenian. Musical
meetings took Abaji on tour to five continents playing with the Zulus of South Africa, the Indians of
Mexico, the Gnawas of Morocco and the Kawwali of Lahore in Pakistan.

He is looking forward to meeting the Maltese audience that is right at the centre of the Mediterranean,
the sea that has inspired all his music.