Artist for Peace

Marcel Khalifé
with Al-Mayadine-Ensemble & vocalist Oumaima Khalil

A Concert for Peace and Humanity

Vienna, City Hall, Arkadenhof
Tuesday, June 30 2009, 8 pm

Lebanese musician and composer Marcel Khalife and the Al-Mayadine Ensemble are world-renowned, far beyond the Arab world. Marcel Khalife’s challenges, however, are not only musical in character. Oud interpreter and specialist, he is also a composer deeply attached to the texts on which he relies. In his association with great contemporary Arab poets, particularly Mahmoud Darwish, he seeks to renew Arabic song, to break its stereotypes, and to advance the culture of the society that surrounds it.

Accompanied by his Al-Mayadine Ensemble, Marcel Khalife began a lifelong far-reaching musical journey, performing in Arab countries, Europe, the United States, South America and Japan in the most prestigious concert halls and at the most important festivals. The Al-Mayadine Ensemble reflects the character of Marcel Khalife’s world music: The musicians come from Arabic Countries, Australia, Macedonia, France, the USA and Austria.

Music as a Universal Language – The Concert Event in Vienna

The uniqueness of this concert event in Vienna is reflected in the full cast of the 20-member Ensemble as well as in the program itself: Marcel Khalife shall not only engage in a musical dialogue between his oud and western instruments (Koehne Quartett, Peter Herbert and others) but shall also introduce a number of new compositions.

In 2005 Marcel Khalife was named UNESCO Artist for Peace for his artistic achievement and humanitarian contributions. Thus we also owe this exceptional concert in Vienna to his commitment.

The concert is a Fundraising Event for UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) , which commemorates its 60th anniversary this year. The major sponsor of the event is OFID (the OPEC Fund for International Development), which has its headquarters in Vienna. The concert is held under the patronage of H.E. Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer and H.E. UN-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who will address the audience of this unique evening through a video message.

A high-level honorary committee consisting of Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann, Foreign Minister Dr. Michael Spindelegger, EU-Commissioner Dr. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Mayor of Vienna Dr. Michael Häupl, UNRWA-Commissioner-General Karen Koning AbuZayd and OFID Director-General Mr. Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish only emphasizes the importance of this event.