Summer Festivals
2010
The Gibran National Committee launched its sixth annual summer festivals - Gibranic Days on Sunday August 7, 2010 at Mary Haskell Square - Gibran Museum in Bsharreh with music ceremonies on the agenda to revive Lebanese and Arab traditions.
The opening was attended by national and local figures including H.E. Mr. Suleiman Trabulsi - Former Minister and Mr. George Geagea representing Bsharreh MPs: H.E. Mrs. Sethrida Geagea and H. E. Mr. Elie Keyrouz.
President of the Gibran National Committee Dr. Tarek Chidiac stated in his opening speech that the "Gibranic Days" that are consisted of variety of activit ies will be held until August 22, 2010 and also in the years to come, aiming to further disseminate Gibran's thoughts, values and interaction between nations.
Press Release
The Gibran National Committee launched its sixth annual summer festivals - Gibranic Days on August 7, 2010 for three consecutive weekends. Three Festivals were held at Mary Haskell Square - Gibran Museum – Bsharreh and another at the Saint Joseph Church – Bsharreh.
Music ceremonies were on the agenda to revive Lebanese and Arab traditional music, songs and dance performances in addition to an exhibition of Musical instruments entitled "Historical Musical Instruments" held at Gibran crypt - Gibran Museum on 20, 21 &22 August 2010.
It is worth mentioning that all events were broadcasted live on TeleLumiere.
The program
August 7th:
08.30 p.m. Ghada Shbeir & her band
Location Mary Haskel Square - Gibran Museum
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The Entertainment program started following to Dr, Chidiac's opening speech (August 7th). It was performed by Star Ms Ghada Shbeir and her accompanying band.
Shbeir sang famous songs that are considered part of Lebanon and the Arab world heritage in addition to a bouquet of Gibran's poems that reveal Gibran's great message towards love, family, humanity, success in the beloved homeland.… The Lebanese artist Ghada Shberi has an advanced degree with high distinction in traditional Arabic music performance. She is professor of traditional Arabic singing techniques at the USEK, Al-Muwashshah singing techniques at the Lebanese University and sacred Syriac chants at the Higher National Conservatory. She participated in local and international conventions and conferences and gained many awards.
August 14th:
08.30 p.m. Nahawand Band
Location Mary Haskel Square - Gibran Museum
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Saturday 14's was dedicated to the Lebanese ensemble "Nahawand" led by Mr. Nouhad Akiki and accompanied by singers Ms. Rania Boulos and Mr. Elie Rizcallah
Admirers of cultural and creative musical evenings were there to enjoy a set of tracks and pieces of music derived from the oldest models of Eastern Maqam.
"Nahawand" band is led and found by Kanoun player Mr. Nouhad Akiki in 2001. It is consisted of seven players who are all teachers of music at the Higher National Conservatory, and some of them members of the Eastern National Orchestra.
August 21st:
06.30 p.m. Toufic Succar & his band
Location St. Joseph Church - Bcharreh
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On Friday 21st, the "Choir of Toufic Succar" and "Notre Dame De Lourdes Choir" – Ghadir, presented a distinguished evening of Lebanese folkloric songs dated back to different periods of the olden times at the St. Joseph Church of the Karmelite Fathers – Bcharreh.
The evening was held at the St. Joseph Church and not outdoor, to insure an excellent sound quality.
The ensemble that was consisted of one pianist, eight sopranos, five basses, nine contraltos, five tenors and three soloists was led and directed by Maestro Toufic Succar
Toufic Succar is born of a family originating from Bsharreh.
Alongside his academic studies, he studied the violin, piano and harmony, counterpoint and fugue.
He is Professor, composer, developer of: musical theory - composition courses - teaching of Eastern music.
In 1949, he won a place at the Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris, and later occupied significant positions in music institutes.
He transported the traditional songs of his country into the Eastern harmonic system (which contains many quarter tone intervals) retaining the melodies.
He is also founder and director of the Bsarreh Institute of Music "Gibran Khalil Gibran", which he directed from 1971 to 1975. It is worth mentioning that the Institute of Music "Gibran Khalil Gibran", is owned by the GNC.
He took part in a number of conferences and seminars on Eastern music.
He inspired the evolution of the "Qanun" from 1966 for which he wrote a number of polyphonic pieces and composed various pedagogical works.
The Choir "Notre Dame De Lourdes"was created in October 1999 at the parish of Our Lady of the Rosary - Ghadir. At its inception, the choir activity was limited to the celebration of monthly Masses devoted to the children of the parish and later to cover Sunday masses. At present, it works on a specific goal which is to participate on safeguarding the liturgical patrimony of the Syriac and Maronite sacred music.
August 22nd:
08.30 p.m. Nasser Makhoul
Location Mary Haskel Square - Gibran Museum
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The forth Saturday was dedicated to the innovator and artist Nasser Makhoul.
With his folkloric troop, Mr. Makhoul presented a rich and outstanding festival, characterized by live folkloric music performance, introduction of music instruments he innovated and Lebanese traditional songs he sang.
The festival was divided into two parts.
At the first part Mr. Makhoul read a welcoming poem, he wrote especially for the audience, followed by a live performance of folkloric pieces of music played on several folkloric Lebanese music instruments such as: Nay. Mijwiz, Buzouq, Oud, Rababa ….
The second part was to introduce music instruments that Mr. Makhoul innovated and designed inspired by instruments depicted in some of the artifact such as: The Sara, the Quadro and the Oudorgue.
An outstanding exhibition entitled "Historical Musical Instruments" was hosted at the Gibran Crypt – Gibran Museum on 20-21-22, adding a special flavor to the summer festivals 2010.
Artist and innovator Mr. Nasser Makhoul displayed his crafted private collection of fifty two historical musical instruments dating from 3000 B.C. until the 17th century.
At the inauguration of the exhibition that was attended by nearly 150 guests, Makhoul also presented musical instruments he designed interposed by welcoming and humorous poems he wrote.
He combined several musical instruments in one and named it, following the evolution of each from the first discovery till present.
Afterward he played folkloric pieces of music on:
- "The Sara"; a combination of Bouzok with high level notes.
- "The Trio"; a combination of Bouzok, Nay and Clarinet.
- "The Inayzi": a combination of a wind instrument with electronic blower covered with animal leather.
- "Kaman Rabab": a combination of Violin from the first side and Rababa on the other side.
- "The Quatro": a combination of Bouzok, Oud, Nay and Harmonica.
- "The Oudorgue": a full electronic orchestra in the shape of Oud.
- "The Bouzorgue": a combination of Bouzok with electronic keyboard
- "The Al-Aniss": a combination of string instruments
- "The Trio": a combination of Bouzok with Flute and Clarinet
- "The Isson": a combination of wind instruments
- "The Quadro Oud": a combination of Bouzok, Harmonica, and Nay
Artist Nasser Makhoul is the founder and leader of "the Folkloric Touristic Lebanese Group". He is a musician; researcher; writer; and inventor. He was born in June 1944 in Lebanon. In 1962, he graduated as Graphic Designer. While his working in an engineering company, he decided to still continue his endeavor in music. He studied music at the Higher National Conservatory. Through this he first began to join in the dancing group of "Joun" together with the famous artist "NASSRY SHAMS EL DEEN." After his retirement from the Social Affair Counsel he began to play Bouzok and Nay only as a hobby, but he never knew that out of this hobby, the door will be opened for his prominence.
He completed 10 specialized courses in the Lebanese Cultural Heritage both in Lebanon and abroad. In his book, "Dancing in Lebanon", he includes an encyclopedia of the traditional string musical instruments used mainly in 32 different countries around the world.
He received 20 certificates, 28 awards, 56 letters of appreciation from several institutions, festivals, exhibitions, and international conventions. He is owner of 130 visual and audio articles about the Lebanese heritage and Lebanon's historical music.
