American University of Beirut

Zaki Nassif was born on the 3rd of July 1916, and died March 11th, 2004. He studied music from 1936 to 1941 at the AUB Institute of Music (1929-1949). Zaki Nassif is one of the most important and prolific composers in the history of Lebanon, having significantly contributed to a mid-20th-century cultural renaissance in the young nation. Important characteristics of his style include a novel use of harmony, unique combinations among text and music, instrumental colors and rhythmic patterns, and folk dance influence. He left the world a rich musical heritage, which was the result of a new and uniquely Lebanese school of composition.

To preserve his legacy, the Zaki Nassif Program for Music was established at the American University of Beirut in December 2004. Housed in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the program is overseen by a director with support from an academic committee. The primary objective of the program is to preserve and promote the musical heritage of Zaki Nassif and his contemporaries. Additionally, it aims to contribute to the advancement of music practice and education through various activities, such as organizing competitions, concerts, conferences, and seminars. The program strives at the promotion of musical excellence by regularly hosting musicians to perform at the university, by providing fellowships, scholarships, and prizes in Zaki Nassif's name. It also endeavors to introduce new courses and programs in Lebanese and Oriental Music at AUB.

One of the main achievements of the Program has been the transfer of all of Zaki Nassif’s archives to Jafet Library in January 2008. This donation by his family of all his 1,100 compositions constitutes his life’s repertoire. The accomplishment of this project is unique in Lebanon and the Middle East, and it may hopefully provide a model for future efforts in preserving the region’s rich musical heritage. Furthermore, in March 2009, an agreement has been signed between AUB and SACEM (“Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de Musique”) in view of registering and protecting all of Zaki Nassif’s compositions. The archives were further enriched by a donation in 2017 from the widow of the late Dr. Walid Gholmieh, who was director of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music for many years. (The Zaki Nassif and Walid Gholmieh archives, along with other treasured collections, are safely guarded in Jafet Library.

Since 2009, the program has organized “A Choir from Every School,” a competition that brings an average of 25 schools in Lebanon to the AUB campus. In 2013-2014 and on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Zaki Nassif’s passing, the Program started a yearly AUB Zaki Nassif Festival “Remembering and Discovering” consisting of monthly concerts during each academic year.

The Program is sustained through donations to the AUB Zaki Nassif Fund. For that purpose, a major action was undertaken in January 2015, thanks to the initiative of a member of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Ali Ghandour. The “Zaki Nassif Program Friends Club” was launched with wide adherence from Oriental Music lovers and, more particularly, enthusiasts of Zaki Nassif's music.

A significant achievement that arose from the Club’s support is the launch of the “AUB Zaki Nassif Arabic Ensemble” on February 17, 2016, with about 800 people filling the Assembly Hall. The Ensemble comprises 50 choir members and 20 instruments, with the majority being selected from the AUB Community. The musical arrangements and ensemble direction are currently entrusted to Maestro Fady Yacoub from the Lebanese National Conservatoire, assisted by Ms. Manal Bou-Malhab for choir training.

Since 2018, the program has also supported the expansion of the music curriculum at AUB’s Continuing Education Center (CEC), which provide the opportunity for students of all ages to enroll in music practice courses, and work towards the obtention of certificates and diplomas.