Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) will host an Arab music concert featuring Lebanese singer Oumeima El-Khalil and musician Hani Siblini on October 10 at 6pm in its main auditorium.
El-Khalil, known for her performance of classical Arabic songs, will take the stage alongside Siblini, her husband and musical partner. Siblini, a talented composer, pianist and keyboard player, has worked with El-Khalil on popular songs such as “A young man and a young girl,” “Days,” and the famous hit “I said I will write to you.”
“I firmly believe that hosting such events and bringing in renowned artists gives us the opportunity to relate their creative works to the cultural and linguistic topics that we focus on in our academic field,” said Abbas al-Tonsi, director of the Arab Language Programme at GU-Q.
El-Khalil’s roots go back to the Lebanese city of Baalbek in the Bekaa valley where she started singing at the age of 12. Over a career extending for more than 30 years, El-Khalil has become a prominent singer and respected artist with a number of hits and a large fan base across the Arab world. She is known for singing the works of famous Lebanese composer Marcel Khalifa and Arab poet Mahmoud Darwish, among others.
Siblini started his career composing commercial music and documentary background music, and went on to accompany the legendary Lebanese singer Fayrouz as a pianist. Siblini understands El-Khalil’s voice capabilities, and has composed beautiful melodies with creative arrangements for her. He has also rearranged some old Arab classical songs that date back to the early 20th century for her to perform.
Lebanese singer Oumeima El-Khalil
