VOICE, MAQAM & IMPROVISATION IN THE SYRO-MARONITE AND CLASSICAL ORIENTAL REPERTOIRE OF LEBANON
MAY 26 – 30, 2025
OBJECTIVES
The main objective of this masterclass will be to learn how to use several ornamental forms and practice singing these elements on carefully selected pieces.
PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT
- The Oriental Voice: vocal technique, oriental ornaments, voice usage, the “Orab”, the “Qafla”.
- The Iqa3 Oriental Rhythm: exploration of simple, complex, and compound rhythms with accompanying chants.
- Notion of Maqam and Improvisation: understanding of the Arabic language, its relationship with embellishments, and their connection to Syriac melodies and Syro-Maronite chants.
- Syriac Chant: studying several Maronite melodies, their maqam, and the method to follow in performing them with characteristics such as sighs, pauses, and accents (this chant is syllabic, a prototype).
- Classical Oriental Repertoire: working on well-known Arabic songs to deepen the technique and approach in performing them.
During the masterclass, participants will have time to practice both secular and religious melodies, providing an opportunity for real-time corrections of their vocal technique.
SCHEDULE: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM // 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
This masterclass is open to singers from 16 years old, with or without previous singing experience.
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BIOGRAPHY
Ghada Shbeir holds a PHD in Musical Sciences as well as a diploma in Arabic singing from the Holy Spirit University- Kaslik.
Today, she teaches oriental Arabic singing and its theories as well as the history of Arabic music at the same university. She is also the director of the Oriental Arabic choir at the Holy Spirit University- Kaslik.
In 1997, she was awarded the first prize at the Best Arabic Song Competition in Egypt. She was also awarded the BBC World Music Award for both the Middle East and North Africa for her CD entitled “Mouachahat” in 2007. In addition to that, she won the first international award prize for the interpretation of Andalusian chants (Mouachahat).
Later on, Ghada Shbeir released several Arabic CDs entitled “Qawaleb”, “Al Qasida”, “Andalusia”, and numerous Syriac Chants CDs; « Syriac Chants », « Passion », « Chants Syriaques- Noel » and « Chants Syriaques- Vol 4 ».
She has recently launched a book entitled “Al Mouashahat”; an academic curriculum for oriental singing students distributed over five years.
Her second book will be released soon as well and it’s entitled “Al Maqamat Al Arabiya”; an academic curriculum for oriental singing students distributed over four years.
Furthermore, Shbeir has executed lots of researches about Arabic music such as Mouashahat and about Syriac music. As a result, she was able to note more than 700 melodies of Maronite and Catholic Syriac chants between 2004 and 2007.
Ghada Shbeir has traveled to many countries performing a lot of concerts and participating in international music congresses by giving conference talks and lectures. She has also participated in international festivals in Europe and many the countries around the world including Lebanon, Egypt, Greece, Slovakia, France, London, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Canada, Bologna, Qatar, Germany, Spain, China, America, Sarajevo, Switzerland, Jordan, Turkey, Oman, Bahrain, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Muscat, and others. Ghada Shbeir’s achievements and artistic career include:
– Composing many poems and mouashahats and performing them in many concerts in Lebanon and abroad. Shbeir composed poems for “Wallada”, “Ya telak riqqi”, “Yom l doja”, “Yakoutat al ghaymat” and a bouquet of poems for Abdul Aziz Saoud Al Babtain.
– Participating in “Beirut Chants Festival” for twelve consecutive years starting 2007.
– Participating in five television programs such as “The Voice” during its first season in 2012, in which she participated as a coach for the participants.
– Giving lectures about Arabic singing in several countries including Lebanon, Oman, Bahrain, Algeria, Egypt and Greece.
– Participating in several musical plays including: “The Land of Immortality,” in Bahrain in 2014, and “Ibn Battuta” in Muscat and Milan in 2015.
– Participating in “Al Bustan” Festival for three consecutive years: 2002, 2003 and 2004 performing Syriac chants concerts.
– Publishing many educational articles such as an article about Wadih El Safi published in Al-Nahar newspaper in December 2013. In addition, she published an article about F. Youssef Al-Ashkar in 2012, another about F. Youssef El Khoury in 2011 and an article about The Rahbani Brothers in 2014.