Walid gholmieh biography template

About Lebanese Arab Music and the Rahbani Theater Musicals (in Arabic)
By Nezar Mrouhe, edited by Mohammed Dakroub
Dar Al-Farabi, 1998

If the Lebanese critic Nezar Mrouhe was among us now, it is unlikely that he would initiate a collection of his writings on music into one book. He was scarce in writing, disinclined towards publishing, and wrote only for himself in response to pressure from his friends. We, therefore, owe it to Mohammed Dakroub’s efforts in preparing and publishing Mrouhe’s collection that this unique heritage of musical criticism is not lost.

Nezar Mrouhe died in 1992 at age 60, but none of his close friends would have given him that age. In their minds, he was the son of scholar and noted intellectual Hussein Mrouhe, whose motto in life was “I was born a man, I will die a child.” Also, Nezar’s modern outlook on music–the art form to which he was fundamentally inclined–and his interest in the works of young musicians, lent him the youthful spirit that remained with him to his last days. In the variety of its articles, this book, “About Lebanese Arabic Music and the Rahbani Theater Musicals” (in Arabic), published by Dar Al-Farabi, Beirut, 1998, further clarifies that the author of these essays possessed the curiosity and stubborn innocence of a child.

Mrouhe was uncompromising in his choices. Although he kept a close look at all new phenomena in Arab music for more than four decades, his preferences remained few: Sayyid Darwish, Walid Gholmieh, the great Rahbani brothers and Marcel Khalife. Most of the studies included in this book, therefore, revolve around these musicians, with particular focus on Asi and Mansour Rahbani as well as Fayruz, thus the book’s subtitle.

Mrouhe's great appreciation of Rahbani music originated in the early 1950s when he first heard their operetta “Raje’oun” [We Shall Return], which remained, unt

(1938 - 2011)

Biography:

Walid Georges Gholmieh is a composer, conductor and musicologist. He was born on April 14, 1938 in Jdeydet- Marjeyoun and is married to Elham Georges Nadda. He obtained several academic records: MFA in Conducting, MFA in composition and PHD in Musicology. Walid Gholmieh won the most exclusive Medal for Peter and Paul and received the prize of Chevalier de ‘l'Ordre National du Cèdre’.

He was the founder of both the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra and the Lebanese National Arabic Oriental Orchestra.

On August 2, 2002, Dr. Gholmieh lead the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra at the Baalbeck International Festival.

On April 17, 2006, Dr. Gholmieh lead the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music in a captivating evening of Arabic music classics at the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation annual festival.

He has also headed the panel of judges on the Lebanese, television talent show, "Studio el Fan", which is credited for launching the careers of many Lebanese and Arab artists.

Dr. Gholmieh composed the Iraqi national anthem, "Ardulfurataini Watan" (Land of Two Rivers) that was in use from 1979 until 2003.

Walid Gholmieh, was featured on the latest album by Damon Albarn's virtual band, Gorillaz. The album, 'Plastic Beach,' was released on March 9 2010,With a track called White Flag.

Walid Gholmieh passed away on Tuesday June 7th, 2011 after a struggle with disease.

Local and International Festivals:

- Baalbeck International Festivals:
1963: Composer / Conductor
1964: Composer
1967: Composer / Conductor
1968: Composer / Conductor

- Ehden Festivals:
1963: Composer / Conductor
1964: Composer / Conductor

- Phoenicia Theater (First permanent theater in Lebanon)
1965: Composer / Conductor / general music adviser
1966: Composer / Conductor / general music adviser
1967: Composer / Conductor / general music adviser

- Cedars International Festivals:
1965: Composer / Conductor

- Nahr El-Wa