Download Al-Nahr Al-Khaled Muhammad Abdel Wahhab

Biographies of Musicians
Simon Shaheen dazzles his listeners as he deftly leaps from traditional Arabic sounds to
jazz and Western classical styles. His soaring technique, melodic ingenuity, and unparalleled
grace have earned him international acclaim as a virtuoso on the ‘oud and violin.
Shaheen is one of the most significant Arab musicians, performers, and composers of his
generation. His work incorporates and reflects a legacy of Arabic music, while it forges
ahead to new frontiers, embracing many different styles in the process. This unique
contribution to the world of arts was recognized in 1994 when Shaheen was honored with
the prestigious National Heritage Award.
Since his arrival to the United States, Shaheen has released seven albums of his own:
Saltanah (Water Lily Acoustics), Turath (CMP), Taqasim (Lyrichord), Simon Shaheen: The
Music of Mohamed Abdel Wahab (Axiom), Hallucination Engine (Island), The Two Tenors
And Qantara (Ark 21/Mondo Melodia), and the eleven Grammy nomination album Blue
Flame (ARK21, 2001). He has contributed selections to soundtracks for The Sheltering Sky
and Malcolm X, among others, and has composed the entire soundtrack for the United
Nations documentary, For Everyone Everywhere. This film celebrated the 50th anniversary
of the United Nations Human Rights Charter.
Born in the village of Tarshiha in the Galilee, Shaheen’s childhood was steeped in music. He
began learning to play the ‘oud at the age of five with his father, Hikmat Shaheen, and a
year later studying violin at the Conservatory for Western Classical Music in Haifa. In 1980,
he moved to New York City to complete his graduate studies in performance at the
Manhattan School of Music, and later in musicology and music education at Columbia
University.
In New York, Shaheen formed in 1982 the Near Eastern Music Ensemble, a group that would
perform the highest standard of traditional Arab music. In 1996, he established Qantara, a
band that brings to life Shaheen’s vision for the unbridled fusion of Arab, jazz, Western
classical, and Latin American music. Shaheen tours internationally with his bands, as a solo
artist, and as a lecturer throughout the academic world promoting awareness of Arab music.
Since 1994, Shaheen has produced the Annual Arab Festival of Arts in New York City, and
founded the Annual Arabic Music Retreat, a weeklong intensive program of Arabic music
studies, held each summer at Mount Holyoke College.
Rima Khcheich is an instructor of Classical Arabic Singing at The Lebanese National
Superior Conservatory of Music in Beirut. She started singing at the age of seven, and two
years later she became a member of the Arab orchestra and choral in Beirut under the
direction of Salim Sahhab. At the age of eleven, she became a soloist with Sahhab’s group,
singing the most difficult repertoire in Arabic vocal music. A graduate of The Lebanese
National Conservatory of Music and The Lebanese American University, Rima has performed
in live performances throughout the Middle East, Europe and the USA specializing in ArabAndalusian Muwashshahat form, and 19th & 20th century Arabic traditional vocal
repertoires. Since 1999, Ms. Khcheich has been a faculty member of the Annual Arabic
Music Retreat at Mount Holyoke College.
Originally from Lebanon, Bassam Saba began to study at the age of seven on the 'oud and
nay (Arab flute), first with his father and later at the Lebanese National Conservatory of
Music in Beirut. In 1976 he moved to Paris to study flute and to perform on the nay with
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prominent musicians. In 1985 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory with a masters
degree in performance. He has performed with the internationally acclaimed vocalist Fairuz,
composer Ziad Rahbani, and composer/performer Marcel Khalifeh. In 1990 Saba moved to
the United States, and since he has been performing with The Near Eastern Music Ensemble.
Najib Shaheen immigrated to the United States in 1967 from Haifa, Palestine. He is an
exceptional ‘oud performer, having studied Arabic music and theory with his father, Hikmat
Shaheen, since he was young. In 1988 he began building and repairing ‘ouds at his
workshop in New York City. He also started all types of experiments on the construction of
the 'oud aiming to further enhance its tone and projection. He has been performing and
recording on the ‘oud with the Near Eastern Music Ensemble at concerts throughout the
United States and Europe.
A native of Jerusalem, Michel Merhej moved with his family to Lebanon where he studied
with master riqq performer, Khaled Azmouz in Beirut. He was influenced by another master
percussionist, the legendary Mohammad Al-'Afifi of Egypt. Merhej taught in the department
of Arabic percussion at the National Conservatory of Music in Lebanon. He was the principle
riqq player of the Lebanese radio orchestra for twenty-five years. He has performed and
toured worldwide with the Lebanese Diva, Fairuz, performing at prestigious venues such as
Be'albak Festival in Lebanon, Carnegie Hall in New York and the Opera in Paris. In 1988,
Merhej moved to the United States and since he has been performing and recording with Mr.
Shaheen and the Near Eastern Music Ensemble.
Born in Lebanon, Jamal Sinno began studying the qanun (Arabic Zither) with his father. In
1978, he joined the Lebanese National Conservatory and studied under master qanun
virtuoso Mohammad Sabsabi. In 1980 he joined the traditional ensemble of the Arab
Cultural Center in Beirut under the direction of Salim Sahhab. He was the leading qanun
player for two years. In 1981 he moved to the USA and lived in Boston. He played in many
events with local musicians as well as visiting famous singers such as Lebanese Elie Shwiry,
George Wassouf, and the ‘Iraqi Kazem Al-Saher. In 1994, he joined the Near Eastern Music
Ensemble.