Zaki Nassif, in July 1995. (Credit: Michel Sayegh/L'Orient-Le Jour Archives)
For the past 10 years, the "Musical Figures of Lebanon" collection, directed by Zeina Saleh Kayali, has worked to make known and document the biographies and careers of Lebanese musicians. Two reference works preceded its creation: "Lebanese Composers of the 20th and 21st Centuries" (2011), by the director with Vincent Rouquès, then "Musical Life in Lebanon" (2015) by the same author. These valuable working tools allow for a characterization of the specific features of Lebanese music in all its diversity.Walking in the footsteps of a musician is above all field work. "But overall there are very few written archives," she laments. "That's why I founded an archive center in Jamhour, to collect the various documents concerning the Lebanese musical world. In short, most of my research work is...
For the past 10 years, the "Musical Figures of Lebanon" collection, directed by Zeina Saleh Kayali, has worked to make known and document the biographies and careers of Lebanese musicians. Two reference works preceded its creation: "Lebanese Composers of the 20th and 21st Centuries" (2011), by the director with Vincent Rouquès, then "Musical Life in Lebanon" (2015) by the same author. These valuable working tools allow for a characterization of the specific features of Lebanese music in all its diversity.Walking in the footsteps of a musician is above all field work. "But overall there are very few written archives," she laments. "That's why I founded an archive center in Jamhour, to collect the various documents concerning the Lebanese musical world. In short, most of my research work...
