Abeer Nehme
Abeer Nehme عبير نعمة | |
---|---|
Birth name | Abeer Nehme |
Born | 19 May 1980 |
Origin | Assyrian Syriac, Lebanon,palestinen |
Genres | Syriac sacral music |
Website | http://www.abeernehme.com |
Abeer Nehme (in Arabic عبير نعمة) (born 19 May 1980) is a Lebanese singer and a musicologist.[1] She performs traditional Tarab music, Lebanese traditional music, Rahbani music, and sacred music from the Syriac-Maronite, Syriac-Orthodox, and Byzantine traditions. In 2009, she joined Jean-Marie Riachi for the album Belaaks. The song "Belaaks" (on the Contrary) is a duet with Ramy Ayach and is an oriental jazz arrangement of "Quizás, quizás, quizás" in the Lebanese dialect.
Biography
Abeer Nehme has been referred to as "The All Styles Specialist" because of her talent in performing dialogues between different styles of music with her amazing voice: Oriental modal traditional styles, Lebanese styles, Syriac-Aramaic religious ethnic style, Greek Byzantine religious style and Opera and modern western styles.
Abeer is a Qanun player (an oriental traditional instrument) and earned a bachelor's degree with the highest ever earned grade in oriental singing from the USEK University (Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik). She was a student of Ms. Aida Chalhoub, director of the oriental music program at USEK. Her renown exceeded quickly the Lebanese audience to reach the Arab then the Greek and the Syriac international audiences.
As a professional in ethnic old music, Abeer interpreted, amongst other interpretations, a complete album of traditional Orthodox Syriac chants (a dialect of Aramaic) with the Syrian National Philharmonic Orchestra under the patronage of the Syriac Patriarch of Antioch, his Holiness Moran Mor Ignatios Zakka Iwas II.
As an Oriental modern singer, this elegant performer played the leading role in various musical plays. Abeer participated as an honored guest amongst major superstars in international festivals throughout the world, and performed as a soloist in several concerts accompanied by various International Philharmonic Orchestras among which the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Greece, Germany, Egypt, Tunisia etc. "Abirou Salati" (Aroma of my prayer) is a spiritual journey through different styles of music; from the old music traditions of the fathers of the church, traditions of prayer and profound spiritualism, to the modernism of the people of God in the twenty-first century, a modernism of grandiosity and majesty.
Awards and titles
- 2000 The award of the Lebanese Diva Wadih Safi, Lebanon
- 2007 Honor Award from the Apostiliki Diakonia, Greece
- 2010 the Murex D'Or distinction award.
Theatre
In 2006, Nehme appeared with Fairuz in a play for the Rahbani Brothers at the Baalbeck International Festival. In 2007, Nehme interpreted the leading female role in Andalusia, Jewel of the world, a play by Elias Rahbani produced by the royal family in Qatar and Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned.
She is now playing the leading role in Elias Rahban’s play Ila.
Movies
Nehme recorded all the songs of the Al-Bosta movie sound track produced by Dark Side Company and directed by Philippe Araktanji.
Releases
2010: "Only The Desert Knows"
2009: Aroma of My Prayer[2]
Nehme released one CD titled Aroma of My Prayer that represents a panorama of the sacred music from the Syriac Orthodox to the Syriac-Maronite to the Byzantine to the Armenian traditions till the contemporary religious chants of major composers.
2009: Bel Aks
Nehme is the main singer on Jean Marie Riachi's album Bil Aks released in 2009. Her next release is a western music CD in English produced by Darren Michealson (21st Artist Century).
Performance
- Vatican
1998 and 2004: Paul VI hall, Basilica of St Peter (At the occasion of the beatification and canonization of Lebanese Maronite Monk Nehmetallah El Hardini). 2001: Multiple performances in concerts and ceremonies (At the occasion of the canonization of Lebanese Maronite nun Rafqa)
- Germany
2002: Invited by the Embassy of Germany and the “Young Musicals”, Nehme participated during two weeks in the Master Classes and music workshop in Weikersheim. She was the only Lebanese performer in the event not only as a performer but also as a lecturer in Oriental music.
- France
2002 and 2003: Concerts in Notre Dame de Paris, Avignon, Marseille, St Raphael, Nice 2007: In the context of the International Musical Festival and Conference at Royaumont- Paris, Nehme delivered a concert focusing on improvisation with the artist Zad Moultaka. Nehme was the main participant as well in a workshop addressing improvisation in tonal and atonal music. Nehme delivered a concert with musicians from the Orchestra of Strasbourg: She was the only representative of the Arab world with the participation of the most important composers and musicians from around the World, especially Europe and the USA Nehme taught a Master Class in Oriental Maqam and gave a concert representing the Lebanese traditional music and improvisation.
- Great Britain
2003: A concert in London
- Belgium
2004: A concert at Place Falgey international Festival- Brussels: Addressing Mouchahat 2004: A Concert at Evillerses : addressing Syriac and Lebanese music
- Tunisia
2002: A concert with other major Tunisian soloists in the context of a joint musical project organized by USEK and the University of Tunisia. The concert was accompanied by the Tunisian National Philarmonic Orchestra.
2003: A concert organized by Masrah Al Madina addressing Lebanese and Arabic Music
2004: A Syriac music concert in the context of studies at the Congress of Tonal Music (with Ecume).
- Egypt
2002 and 2004: 2 solo concerts at the opera of Cairo and Alexandria in the context of the congress of Arab Music.
- Nigeria
2005: Two religious concerts in Lagos at the occasion of the presence of the relics of St Charbel.
- Syria
2003: A solo concert accompanied by the Syrian Philharmonic National Orchestra at the occasion if the opening of the House of Opera. Abeer performed opera music as soprano. 2006: A solo concert accompanied by the Syrian Philharmonic National Orchestra at the Palace of Congress, to underline the Orthodox Syriac musical patrimony and reveal its treasures.The concert was first of its kind in the context of Traditional Music. A CD with the recording of the concert is to be released soon in Europe. 2007: A solo concert accompanied by the Syrian National Orchestra in the context of the 19th Bosra International Festival. An audience of 33,000 person attended the concert. 2008: A solo concert at the Palace of Congress with the Philharmonic National Orchestra, in the context of the festival of Damascus as a CAPITAL OF CULTURE of the Arab world 2007 and 2006: A solo concert at the Palace of Culture in Lattaquieh in the context of the “Agafi Festival”
- Greece
2007: At the occasion of the anniversary of the “Apostoliki Diakonia”, Nehme was invited as a guest of honor to a major concert with the Philharmonic National Orchestra of Greece conducted by Kalkhanis Eleotherios at the “Megaro Mousiki” – the palace of music in Athens. Greek stars were participating in the concert as well: Marita Paparizo, Chronis Andronidis, and Yorgos Voukanos.
- Australia
2008: A fundraising concert aiming to help the students of USEK. Other concerts in Sydney and Melbourne were delivered as well by Nehme addressing the religious chants of the Holy Week.
- Iraq
2008: Due to the war in Iraq, the Iraqi youth were not allowed to travel and participate in worldwide day of the youth (JMJ (Journee mondiale de la jeunesse)). Hence, Nehme was the only singer who volunteered to go to Iraq. In order to give the Iraqi youth their chance to have their own worldwide day of the youth in Iraq. Accordingly, Nehme delivered many concerts in Arbil, Karkook, Ankawa, Shaqlawa, and Aradel.
- Sweden
2008: Nehme delivered 2 concerts in Stockholm and Trolhaten addressing the Syriac and Lebanese musical heritage.
2010: Nehme delivered 2 concerts in Södertälje addressing the Syriac and Lebanese musical heritage.[3][4]
- Switzerland
2008: Nehme delivered a fundraising concert in Geneva for the help of children who have cancer in the context of the international Sabrina action.
- Morocco
In 2013, Nehme performed at the Fes Sacred Music Festival, then in 2014 she also was the head protagonist at the opening ceremony at the 2014 Fes Festival of Sacred Music.
- Philadelphia, USA
2014: Nehme performed during Marcel Khalife's concert presented by Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture. She received a spontaneous standing ovation.[5]
- Other
Many other concerts were delivered by Nehme in Bahrain, Dubai and Kuwait either for cultural or fundraising purposes.
References
- ↑ Abeer Nehme Live on Suryoyo SAT, talking about her concerts in Sweden., abeernehme channel on youtube
- ↑ Aroma of My Prayers Archived 29 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine., iTunes
- ↑ http://kulturdelen.nu/2010/tvatusenarig-musik-pa-estrad
- ↑ "Världsstjärna gästar Estrad". Retrieved 5 December 2012.
- ↑ "Marcel Khalife in "Chants of the East" – Al-Bustan Music Program". Albustanseeds.org. Retrieved 2014-11-17.