Tony Kaldas Explained

Tony Kaldas
طونى قلدس
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Antoine Kaldas
Birth Date:20 January 1984
Instrument:Vocal ukulele
Genre:Pop music Jazz Oriental ClassicChanson
Occupation:Singer, songwriter, actor, composer, art director
Years Active:2007–present
Website:www.tonykaldas.com

Antoine Kaldas (Arabic: طوني قلدس; born January 20, 1984), also known as Tony Kaldas, is an Egyptian-Greek singer, composer, performer, and healer who spent his first 25 years in Egypt.

He blends several genres, notably jazz, classical, pop, and world music, and languages through his songs and concerts in an attempt create a variety of unique pieces.

Kaldas studied classical singing for 6 years at the Cairo Opera House while also studying architecture. Kaldas studied architecture and worked for years as an underground singer, as well as an art director, graphic designer, retoucher and digital marketer. He also worked as a voice actor for Arabic versions of Disney movies and commercial advertisements. Additionally, Kaldas has studied different types of healing practices, such as quantum touch, chakra healing, and hypnotherapy, combining these methods with his knowledge of music and voice .

His performance in Brussels, in 2012, representing the Middle East in an Arabic song, was written by the late Gibran Khalil Gibran, and composed & performed by Kaldas himself.

Early life

Kaldas was born on January 20, 1984 in Cairo, Egypt, the son of an Egyptian father and a Greek mother. He displayed musical talent at a young age, performing musicals at the age of 4. His parents were resistant as they were afraid that he would not commit to his studies and that this would negatively affect his life. Kaldas was unable to convince his family otherwise and was thus unable to pursue his musical interests for years to come. The self-taught musician continues to use a "musical shorthand" that he developed as a child, rather than employing traditional musical notation.However, the house was full of different music throughout the day, which Kaldas believed to be an important influence for him.

Kaldas has developed a passion for artistic expression as early on as four years by imitating actors and actresses after watching films and plays shown on television. Upon turning sixteen, Kaldas sang a religious French song that launched his musical career.

He went to a French school in 1989, College des Freres, which had a great influence on his personality and expression that continued with him afterward.

In 2003, Kaldas studied Classical Singing at Cairo Opera House along with his studies at the architecture university. He was greatly inspired by the singer Asmaha, as she was an Arabic singer that could sing in different genres and styles and studied classical music for sometime.

Music career

In 2000, Kaldas joined the French Christian Choir in Cairo. Soon after, he began performing in Egyptian venues and eventually around the world.

2012: Living Abroad

After his nomination for the Peace Prize in Brussels in January 2012, and his performance in Paris afterward, Kaldas decided to live in France for some time to be able to learn new vocal techniques and start singing in different countries. Kaldas lived in Paris, Lille, and then moved to Cambridge and then London.

Influences, music and concerts

Musical Influences

From childhood, Kaldas accepted a wide variety of musical styles, listening to radio stations from Northern Africa, Arab countries, and Europe. His music has been said to reflect his encounters with cultures around the world.

The mixture in his family was translated through the choice of songs chosen by his family, as he was raised listening to Classical singing, Arabic, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish and English songs, along with the classical music. This mixture was expressed later through his talent and voice by always mixing different genres together and being one of the first musicians and singers in the Middle East creating fusion on stage.

Kaldas claims to have had a perfect pitch since childhood.

Concerts

Kaldas sang cover versions of songs sung by the Arabic superstars such as Fairuz, Abdel Halim Hafez, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Umm Kulthum, and Nour el Hoda. He has also sung covers from Charles Aznavour, Édith Piaf, Mireille Mathieu, Frédéric François, Jacques Brel, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

Honors, awards and distinctions

Kaldas was honored in Brussels European Parliament in 2012 and he was nominated for the Music Peace Prize Time for Peace; he was the first Arabic/Greek singer was nominated for this prize.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Elaph Publishing Limited . محبّو ماجدة الرّومي يكرّمونها على طريقتهم . Elaph.com . January 18, 2007. 2020-03-10.
  2. Web site: Mawaly - الفنان الشاب المصري طوني قلدس يحتفل بيوبيل جبران ...ويقدم جبران ولبنان . March 8, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090417051740/http://www.mawaly.com/news/6618/1.html . April 17, 2009 .
  3. Web site: Archived copy . March 10, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110707115457/http://www.alnaddy.com/fan/12103_%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1_%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A8%D8%B0%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%89_%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%84_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%84_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D8%BA%D9%8A%D8%B1.html . July 7, 2011 . Tony Kaldas and Gibran khalil Gibran
  4. Web site: Archived copy . March 10, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110707120009/http://www.alnaddy.com/fan/12141_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%89_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A8_%D8%B7%D9%88%D9%86%D9%89_%D9%82%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B3_%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%84_%D8%AC%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86_%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84_%D8%AC%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86.html . July 7, 2011 . Gibran & Lebanon with Tony Kaldas
  5. Web site: اليوم السابع | طونى قلدس يحتفل بيوبيل جبران . www.youm7.com . 17 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100107035625/http://www.youm7.com/News.asp?NewsID=25928&SecID=48&IssueID=0 . 7 January 2010 . dead.
  6. Fayed, Ismail A nostalgic evening with Tony Kaldas, Daily News (Egypt), September 17, 2008. Accessed 245 February 2009.
  7. Web site: طوني قلدس يُكرم الراحل منصور الرحباني في ساقية الصاوي . Elaph.com . June 19, 2009. 2020-03-10.
  8. Web site: اخبار موالي | طونى قلدس فنان مصري من الفنانين القلائل فى العالم العربى . https://archive.today/20120715185220/http://new.mawaly.com/news/article/14454.html . 15 July 2012 . dead.