Beirut Chants - Rami Khalifé

Every December, the historical churches of Beirut become a place to enjoy the concerts of Beirut Chants, the festival of classic, sacred and ethnic music. Beirut Chants acts as a platform for local and international performers and orchestras, and spreads a message of peace, hope and tolerance among people from different backgrounds.

Day 22 program:

Rami Khalifé: 

Rami Khalifé is a pianist and composer based throughout the world. 

A musical shape-shifter, Rami Khalifé’s body of work is as eclectic as it is bold, ranging from: improvised concerts, recording a Prokofiev concerto with Globalis Orchestra, performing world music with Marcel Khalifé and the El Mayadine Ensemble, composing contemporary works for orchestra, producing sound tracks for film and documentary, collaborating with the late poet and author Mahmoud Darwish, only to switch it all up with classic-electro group Aufgang. In October of 2011, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra under the conductorship of James Gaffigan will premiere Rami Khalifé’s composition ‘Chaos’, for orchestra and piano. 
As a concert composer, Rami Khalifé is currently working on recording an orchestral version of his 2008 release ‘Chaos’, an original composition for piano and orchestra, due for release in 2012. Also due for release in 2012, Rami Khalifé’s second album with Aufgang and a Requiem for orchestra, choir and soprano solo. 
Today, Rami Khalifé’s evening reprieve has evolved from humming symphonies in front of old transistors, to writing them for the world to hear.