Marcel Khalife facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marcel Khalife
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marcel Khalife |
| Born | 10 June 1950 Amsheet, Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, oud player |
| Years active | 1972–present |
Marcel Khalife (born June 10, 1950) is a famous musician from Lebanon. He is a composer, singer, and plays the oud, which is a string instrument like a lute. Many people in the Arab world see him as a hero. Some even call him the "Bob Dylan of the Middle East" because of his powerful songs.
Contents
Marcel Khalife's Life Story
In 1983, a music company called Paredon Records released an album by Marcel Khalife. It was called Promises of the Storm. This album had many songs that shared messages about fairness and important social issues.
Performing in Tunisia
In July 2009, Marcel Khalife went back to Tunisia to perform. He played at the old Roman amphitheater as part of the 45th International Festival of Carthage. The place was completely full of people who came to hear him.
He started his concert by saying hello to the people of Tunisia. He told them that even with problems in the world, Tunisians have a special spirit. He also mentioned that his songs were not always shown on TV, but he knew his fans still listened to his music. Later, he dedicated a song to a famous revolutionary leader, Che Guevara.
The "I Am Joseph, O Father" Song
Marcel Khalife faced legal challenges three times (in 1996, 1999, and 2003) because of his song I am Joseph, O Father. This song was based on a poem by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.
Learning Music
Marcel Khalife studied how to play the oud at the Beirut National Conservatory of Music. He finished his studies there in 1971.
His Music Career
After graduating in 1971, Marcel Khalife taught the oud at the Beirut National Conservatory of Music until 1975. From 1972 to 1975, he also taught music at public universities and private music schools in Lebanon. At the same time, he traveled around the Middle East, Europe, and the United States to perform his music.
In 1972, he started a music group in his village, Amchit. Their goal was to bring back the old music traditions of his village. This group performed for the first time in Lebanon. In 1976, he formed another group called Al Mayadine Ensemble. This group traveled and performed in many countries, including Arabic-speaking countries, Europe, the United States, Canada, South America, Australia, and Japan.
Marcel Khalife has received many awards for his music. He won the American Folkloric Festival Award in 1975. In 2001, he received the National Palestine Medal for Arts and Culture. UNESCO honored him with the Artist for Peace award in 2005. The Lebanese government also gave him the Cedar Medal in 2005. In 2008, he won the Charles Cros Award for World Music.
Throughout his career, Khalife has performed all over the world, especially in the Arab world. He has always supported the Palestinian people in their fight for their rights. In 1989, he released a song called Nashid al-Intifada ("Anthem of the Intifada"). This was during the First Intifada, which was a peaceful movement for change.
His Family Life
Marcel Khalife's oldest son, Rami Khalife, is a talented pianist and composer. Rami studied at the famous Juilliard School. In October 2011, the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performed Marcel Khalife's piece called 'Chaos'. Marcel Khalife himself played the piano for this performance. In February 2013, Rami Khalife's piece called 'Requiem' was performed. This piece was inspired by the Arab Spring events. It was played in the same concert as Marcel Khalife's music suite "Oriental".
Marcel Khalife's Works
Books He Wrote
In 1982, Marcel Khalife wrote a six-part book series. It was called Anthology of Studying the Oud.
Concerts and Performances
- 2005.11.14: Lincoln Theatre (Washington, D.C.) USA
- 2004.01.12: Kennedy Center Washington DC USA
- 2008.10.10: De Roma Borgerhout, Antwerp, Belgium
- 2011.03.13: Al-Bustan Concert Series, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- 2014.11.15: Al-Bustan Concert Series, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- 2016.12.18: Day for Night Festival, Houston, TX, USA
- 2018.05.25 Institut des cultures arabes et méditerranéennes, Geneva, Switzerland
Music for Films
Marcel Khalife has created music for many films and documentaries. He worked with directors like Maroun Baghdadi, Oussama Mohammed, Sophi Sayhf Eddin, and Samir Zikra. His music is also featured in the documentary Occupied Minds, made by Jamal Dajani and David Michaelis. You can also hear his music in the documentary film Sons of Eilaboun by Hisham Zreiq.
Talks and Discussions
On March 12, 2013, Marcel Khalife gave a talk at the American University of Sharjah. He spoke about his newest CD, The Fall of the Moon. He also talked about his feelings for the late poet Mahmoud Darwish. He mentioned that he was planning to publish his autobiography in two books.
Marcel Khalife's Music Albums
Here are some of the albums Marcel Khalife has released:
Studio Albums
- Promises of the Storm (1976)
- At the Border (1980)
- Ahmad Al Arabi (1984)
- Dreamy Sunrise (1985)
- Ode to a Homeland (1990)
- Arabic Coffeepot (1995)
- Voyageur (1998)
- Jadal (2002)
- The Bridge (2002)
- Summer Night's Dream (2003)
- Promises of the Storm (2003)
- Caress (2004)
- Peace Be with You (2006)
- Taqasim (2006)
- Sharq (2007)
- Andulusia of Love (2016)
Singles (Individual Songs)
- Mounadiloun (Strugglers)
- Oummi (Mother)
Live Albums (Recorded at Concerts)
- Dance (1995)
- Marcel Khalife: Magic Carpet (1998)
- Concerto Al Andalus (2002)
Awards and Recognitions
France: Knight of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2018)
Morocco: Commander of the Order of Intellectual Merit (2008)
Tunisia: Grand Officier of the National Order of Merit of Tunisia (2018)
See also
In Spanish: Marcel Jalifa para niños
