Rima Khcheich - Music

Rima Khcheich {ريما خشيش} B. 1974 Is A Lebanese Singer Khcheich Was Born In Khiam South Lebanon. She Started Singing Classical Arabic Music At The Age Of Nine And Was Awarded The Bronze Medal At The 'Bizert Festival For The Mediterranean Song' In Tunisia 1985. Her Singing Career Started With The Children's Choir At The Arabic Cultural Club And Later Evolved Into A Solo Performance With The Beirut Oriental Troop For Arabic Music Under The Supervision And Direction Of Salim Sahab. Khcheich Studied The Tradition Of Classical Arabic Singing At The Lebanese National Higher Conservatory Of Music In Beirut And Her Efforts Were Supported By Her Father Kamel Khcheich Who Encouraged Her To Memorise And Master Classics From The Arabic Music Heritage Such As Muwashahat* Adwar And Other Styles. She Has Performed Zakariah Ahmad Al-Kassabji Sayyed Darwish Kamel Al Khal'i And Muhammad Abdel Wahab Amongst Others. Having Participated In Various Concerts In Lebanon And Around The World Khcheich Has Gained International Repute And Admiration For Her Gift At Performing Complex Arabic Classical Forms Such As Dor 'Emta El Hawa' And Muwashah 'Anta Al Mudallal'. Currently Khcheich Teaches Oriental Singing At The Lebanese National Higher Conservatory Of Music And Is Invited On A Yearly Basis To Massachusetts USA Where She Teaches Voice And Classical Arabic Singing At Mount Holyoke College Under The Framework Of The Arabic Music Retreat Program Directed By Musician And Composer Simon Shaheen. Her Professional Collaborations Include Performing With Shaheen Singing On Composer Toufic Farroukh's Album Tootya Released In 2006 And Being An Integral Part Of The Dutch-Lebanese- Iraqi Band The Orient Express. This Band Tried To Create Meeting Grounds Between The Arab Musical Heritage And Jazz. The Band Released One Album Orient Express In 2002. In 2006 Khsheish Released Her Debut Solo Album Yalalalli Which Features A Number Of Old Songs And Muwashahat That She Performs In A Personalised Contemporary Manner Alongside New Compositions. * Muwashahat Plural Of Muwashshah A Vocal Form In Arabic Music. A Strophic Song With Refrain. The Form Originated At Cabra Near Cordoba In The 9th Century It Enjoyed A Vogue In Muslim Spain In The 11th Century And Spread Subsequently Throughout The Arab World Where It Survives In Oral Tradition. One Of Seven Post-Classical Poetic Forms It Is Performed On Both Secular And Religious Occasions And Combines Classical Metres With New Ones Arranged In Strophes. Each Poem Is Divided Into An Indefinite Number Of Units Abyat Sing. Bayt Each Containing A Varied Number Of Poetic Lines. Musically A Muwashshah Is Performed By A Solo Singer Alternating With Responsorial Antiphonal Or Collective Singing In Unison Depending On The Performing Group. The Performance Of This Difficult Art Composed By Specialists Demands A Mastery Of Both Maqams Modes And Usuls The Complicated Rythmic Patterns Of Arabic Music. read less