• 3rd November 2016
• admin

USJ CHOIR

Founded in 2015, the USJ Choir assembles today over fifty singers of different ages, professions and backgrounds. In collaboration with members of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the Jeunesses Musicales du Liban Orchestra, the choir has covered a large and varied repertoire ranging from Baroque music to Contemporary music. It is in the choir’s mission to introduce well known masterpieces, as well as obscure works to the public. The USJ Choir aims to contribute in raising Lebanese choral music to international standards and to keep spreading the joy of singing.

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Yasmina Sabbah

Yasmina Sabbah holds a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from the prestigious University of Cambridge, UK. She is one of the few active women conductors in Lebanon, and currently leads the USJ choir, the Conservatory Youth Choir and Children Choir. She is also a professor of music at AUB and LAU. Yasmina Sabbah has received several awards such as the Patron’s Award in ChoirFest Dubai (2015), the Philippe Jaber Merit Award (2012), the Rosemary Salhaney Haggar Choral Award (2010), and the Choral Leadership Award (2009).  Her aim is to earn a Ph. D and contribute to spreading choral music in Lebanon and the region as well as improving music education in schools and universities. Young, passionate and motivated, it is in her mission to break stereotypes in Lebanon and assert herself as a woman in positions of leadership.

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Concert Program

I. German Baroque Sacred Choral Music

Erfreue dich, Erde Dietrich Buxtehude (1637 – 1707)

Nadine Nassar, Soprano

Georges Nehme, Countertenor

Bassam Abboud, Bass

Alleluja! Freuet euch ihr Christen alle Andreas Hammerschmidt (1612 – 1675)

Georges Nehme, Tenor 1

Bassam Abboud, Tenor 2

Emilio Matar, Bass

Magnificat in D major Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714 – 1788)

Nadine Nassar, Soprano

Michel Bou-Rjeily, Countertenor

Haitham Haidar, Tenor

Bassam Abboud, Bass

II. Christmas Carols

Les anges dans nos campagnes Traditional French Carol

Arranged by Maurice Dela & Bertrand Robilliard

Game of the bells Peter J. Wilhousky / Ramin Djawadi

Original mashup by L.E.J

Choral arrangement by Yasmina Sabbah

Orchestration by Vartan Agopian

La Marche des Rois Traditional French Carol

Arranged by Mark Hayes

Joy to the World Lowell Mason

Arranged by John Rutter

A Holiday Sing-Along Arranged by Audrey Snyder

The USJ Choir:

Bassam Abboud, Assistant director

Olga Bolun, Accompanist

Emilio Matar, Section leader

Soprano

Sarah Abi Samra

Lena Arslanian

Louisa El Khoury

Veronique Fleury

Marie-Christine Hakime

Karen Hamad

Leonie Harsch

Mira Hout

Myriam Michael

Maria Moukarzel

Reem Nehme

Najla Sadek

Riwa Samaha

Liliane Sleiman

Danielle Yacoub

Alto

Viviane Abi Hayla

Jocelyn Adjizian

Christa Boulos

Nayla Chahine

Joumana Comaty

Nadine Deaibess

Josiane  Deghel

Marie Alexia Delerue

Aida Kassia

Priscilla Medawar

Cristina Menegazzi

Jihane Nacouzi

Mirène Nasr

Leila Samaras

Sarah Tcheroyan

Soha  Yammine

Tenor

Bassam Abboud

Nabil Bou-Jaoude

Guillaume Checri

Ralph Dargham

Pierre Kamel

Giovanni Nehme

Nadim Tarabay

Bass

Imad Bissat

Makram Boustani

Henri El Kayem

Raymond Harb

Nadeem Itani

Paul Jamhouri

Emilio Matar

Ghassan Zeenni