Abeer Nehme

Abeer Nehme (born 19 May 1980) is a Lebanese singer. She performs traditional Tarab music, Lebanese traditional music, Rahbani music, and sacred music from the Maronite Syriac, Orthodox Syriac, 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.

Abeer Nehme is an exceptional singer and a musicologist from Lebanon, the country worldwide renowned for its unique cultural model that joins the charming heritage of the East to the modern classism of the West.

Abeer 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 degree with the highest ever earned grade in oriental singing from the USEK University (Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik). 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 preformed 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" http://www.ilike.com/artist/Abeer+Nehmé

2009: Aroma of My Prayer

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 Kurdestan, Arbil, Karkook, Ain Kawa, Chaklawa, 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.http://kulturdelen.nu/2010/tvatusenarig-musik-pa-estrad/

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.

Other

Many other concerts were delivered by Nehme in Bahrain, Dubai and Kuwait either for cultural or fundraising purposes.

External links