Hill Auditorium
Canceled Event:
Marcel, Rami, and Sary Khalife:
Legacy
$12-20 student tickets available
We regret that this performance has been canceled due to a hand injury Marcel Khalife sustained in a fall this summer. We are working to reschedule the date for the 24/25 season. Ticketholders will receive an email with options to refund or donate their tickets.
Legendary Lebanese composer, singer, and oud master Marcel Khalife returns to Ann Arbor for the first time in 20 years in this program titled “Legacy.” He is joined by his son, virtuoso pianist Rami Khalife, and his nephew, cellist Sary Khalife.
Often referred to as the “Bob Dylan” of the Middle East and revered as a cultural icon in the Arab World, Marcel Khalife is deeply attached to the text of great contemporary Arab poets; he is an innovator in Arab music who draws upon traditional forms and blends Western elements to create an evocative sound that has captivated audiences around the world. Marcel Khalife’s extensive body of work transcends his lyrical works to encompass groundbreaking oud compositions, orchestral and choral works, music for dance, and concertos for a variety of traditional Arabic instruments.
The cross-generational Khalife trio will perform a selection of Marcel’s revered classics that endeared him to millions in the Arab World, with new arrangements alongside original compositions. Sary Khalife masterfully incorporates the Arabic quarter tone on his cello, seamlessly weaving Arabic and Western sounds, while Rami’s pianistic skills combine his classical training from The Juilliard School with a “Keith-Jarrett-like approach to jazz and improvisation.” (Daily Telegraph, Australia)
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Marcel Khalife was born on June 10, 1950 in Amchit, Lebanon. He studied the oud (the Arabic lute) at the Beirut National Conservatory of Music and graduated in 1971, and, ever since, has been injecting a new life into the oud.
From 1972 to 1975, Marcel Khalife taught at the Beirut National Conservatory of Music, public Universities, and other local private music institutions. During that same period, he toured the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and the United States giving solo performances on the oud.
Oud playing was traditionally constrained by the strict techniques that governed its playing. Highly talented and skillful musicians such as Marcel Khalife were, however, able to free the instrument from those constraints and thus greatly expand its possibilities.
In 1972, Marcel Khalife created a musical group in his native village, Amchit, with the goal of reviving its musical heritage and the Arabic chorale. The first performances took place in Lebanon. 1976 saw the birth of Marcel Khalife’s Al Mayadine Ensemble. Enriched by the previous ensemble’s musical experiences, Al Mayadine’s notoriety went well beyond Lebanon. Accompanied by his musical ensemble, Marcel Khalife began a lifelong far-reaching musical journey, performing in Arab countries, Europe, the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, and Japan.
Marcel Khalife’s creativity, innovations, educational and humanitarian concerns, and contributions to the promotion of arts and Culture in the Arab world have earned him awards in the Arab World and internationally. Upon his receipt of the National Palestine Medal for Arts and Culture in 2001, Khalife contributed the financial part of the Award to the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Palestine. The Conservatory has since established in his name an annual music competition under the title of The Marcel Khalife National Music Competition grants young gifted musicians financial support for their continued music education.
Rami Khalifé was born on September 25, 1981 to musician Marcel Khalifé and vocalist Yolla Khalifé amid the rough and tumble of civil war in Beirut, Lebanon. While best known for his re-envisioning of the classics, Rami Khalife, who graduated from the prestigious Juilliard School, was featured as a soloist alongside some of the world’s most prized orchestras including the Globalis Orchestra, Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, and Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.
Rami Khalifé has extensively toured in the U.S, South America, Asia, Canada, Europe, and Australia, in such venues as the Kennedy Center, the Sydney Opera House, the Doha Opera House (Qatar), Place Des Arts (Montreal, Canada), Dar el Opera (Damascus, Syria), Queen Elizabeth Hall (London), Salle Pleyel (Paris, France) and UNESCO Palace (Beirut, Lebanon).
Rami Khalifé’s work is as eclectic as it is bold, ranging from improvised concerts and recording a Prokofiev concerto to performing with Marcel Khalifé. He also composed contemporary works for orchestra and produced soundtracks for films and documentaries, only to switch it all up with his classic electro group AUFGANG.
His body of work includes two piano concertos, a requiem, a cello concerto, and several orchestral pieces including “Tunnel to the Moon”, all of which, he premiered with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also commissioned by the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra to write ‘’Stories.” In 2016, Rami Khalife simultaneously released 2 new albums ’Turbulences’ with AUFGANG and Stories with Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.
Heralded as a “musician of extreme caliber and pure expression…a welcome experimental detour from the norm of today and in the relatively conformist world of classical composition…he is positively brand new” by the Daily Star, it’s no wonder that Rami Khalifé has emerged as one of the most exciting young composers of the 21st Century.
Born in Lebanon in 1990, Sary Khalife began studying piano at the age of five. At the age of seven, he started studying cello with Professor Sarkis Kochkarian at the National Conservatory of Beirut, where he brilliantly obtained his baccalaureate at the age of 15. During his studies, Sary showcased his virtuosity as a soloist with the Lebanese National Symphonic Orchestra, performing concertos by Saint-Saëns and Haydn.
In 2004, Sary joined the renowned West-Eastern Divan Orchestra under the baton of Daniel Barenboim. He later became a member of the Divan Ensemble, touring prestigious venues worldwide, including the Albert Hall in London and Salle Pleyel in Paris. Alongside his commitments, he studied under Xavier Gagnepain at the CRR in Boulogne-Billancourt, winning the first prize unanimously in June 2008.
In September 2011, Sary was admitted to the Conservatoire National supérieur de Paris, studying under the guidance of Rolland Pidoux, Xavier Phillips, Marc Coppey, and Pauline Bartissol. Graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in 2014 and a Master’s degree in 2016, he also explored improvisation through classes with Alexandros Markeas and Vincent Lequang.
Sary’s musical collaborations have been extensive. In January 2013, he performed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C major with his brother Ayad Khalife and Karim Saleh, accompanied by the Qatar National Orchestra conducted by Michalis Economou. Sary, along with his brother Ayad Khalife and Mike Massy, released their album “Naseej” at the Zook Mikhael Festival in August 2014. His second album, “Soobia,” composed and performed alongside his brother Ayad Khalife, was released in June 2018 with the support of AFAC.
In addition to his impressive classical repertoire, Sary’s versatility shines through in his exceptional improvisational skills across various styles, including Arabic, Indian, and jazz, captivating audiences with his unparalleled abilities. Furthermore, Sary humbly shares his creative abilities as a composer, crafting original compositions that reflect his diverse influences and personal artistic vision, enriching the world of music with his unique contributions.
Sary has held positions with various orchestras, including the Orchestras of Metz and Mulhouse, as well as being a former member of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg. Additionally, he is a valued member of Marcel Khalife’s esteemed Al-Mayadin Ensemble. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Ibrahim Maalouf, Abeer Nehmeh, Jahida Wehbeh, Michel Fadel, Bachar Khalifé, Charbel Rouhana, and Ismael Lumanovski.