bio
Marcel Khalifé is a Lebanese composer, singer and oud master, and a major figure in contemporary Arabic music. A graduate of the Beirut National Conservatory of Music, he has helped expand the possibilities of the oud and Arabic song since the 1970s. In 1976, he founded the Al Mayadeen Ensemble, with which he gained international recognition. His work combines Arabic musical traditions, contemporary influences and poetry, notably that of Mahmoud Darwish. In 2005, he was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace.