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The unique feature of the Terra Sancta Organ Festival is that it is being held at the churches and shrines of the Holy Land and in the locations where the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of the Holy Land have been active for centuries: Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria.
The Terra Sancta Organ Festival is one way to bear witness to the presence of the Christian communities in the Middle East and the Levant in the field of music and culture. Here, organ music is a superior artistic contribution perceived as specifically Christian, the pipe organ being present almost exclusively inside churches. The festival is also an opportunity to promote the maintenance of organs and the study of this instrument, necessary for the liturgy.
The concerts take place in churches, but all are welcome, regardless of their religious affiliation: the Terra Sancta Organ Festival represents, in fact, one of the rare occasions in the Middle East and the Levant in which one can listen to the sound of a pipe organ outside of its normal liturgical context.
SOL – SEMAINE DE L’ORGUE AU LIBAN
LEBANESE PIPE ORGAN WEEK 2024
12 – 21 April – 9th edition
ADMISSION FREE TO ALL CONCERTS
Friday, 12 April, 8 pm
AJALTOUN | Church of Mar Zakhia
Vincent De Pol (Germany / Poland), pipe organ
In collaboration with the German Embassy in Lebanon
Saturday, 13 April, 6 pm
KHIRBET QANAFAR (West Beqaa) | Johann Ludwig Schneller School
Film-concert Der Galiläer (The Galilean, 1921) with organ improvisation
Mathias Rehfeldt (Germany), pipe organ and live musical commentary
Sunday, 14 April, 12 pm
BEIRUT | National Evangelical Church
Vincent De Pol (Germany / Poland), pipe organ
In collaboration with the German Embassy in Lebanon
Sunday, 14 April, 8 pm
MAYSSRAH (Nahr Ibrahim) | Church of St. Elie – Carmelite monastery
Film-concert Der Galiläer (The Galilean, 1921) with organ improvisation
Mathias Rehfeldt (Germany), pipe organ and live musical commentary
Tuesday, 16 April, 8 pm
BEIRUT | American University of Beirut (AUB) Assembly Hall
Cross-art concert with Mario Mariani (Italy), piano and pipe organ
Rudy Rahme (Lebanon), live painting and poetry
In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute
Wednesday, 17 April, 8 pm
BEIRUT (Gemmaizeh) | Church of St. Maroun
Ensemble Recercare
Mario Rahi (Lebanon), violin
Paolo De Matthaeis (Italy), organ
Fabio Catania (Italy), viola da gamba
In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute
Thursday, 18 April, 7 pm
TRIPOLI (El Mina) | Latin Church of St. Francis – Custody of the Holy Land
Ensemble Recercare
Mario Rahi (Lebanon), violin
Paolo De Matthaeis (Italy), organ
Fabio Catania (Italy), viola da gamba
In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute
Friday, 19 April, 8 pm
BEIRUT (Downtown) | Saint Louis Latin Cathedral of the Capuchin Fathers
Inaugural concert for the new pipe organ
Aarón Ribas (Spain), pipe organ
Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra
Garo Avessian (Lebanon), conductor
In collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in Lebanon
Saturday, 20 April, 8 pm
ZOUK MOSBEH | Church of Notre Dame de Louaizeh
Les Solistes de Beyrouth, vocal ensemble
Fernando Afara (Lebanon), conductor
Paolo De Matthaeis (Italy), pipe organ
In collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute
Sunday, 21 April, 11 am
TYRE | Latin Church of St. Anthony – Custody of the Holy Land
The concert in Tyre has been cancelled for security reasons, due to the current unstable situation in southern Lebanon.
ORGAN & MUSIC FESTIVAL SYRIA 2024
Damascus | Aleppo | Latakia
23 April – 1 May 2024
ADMISSION FREE TO ALL CONCERTS
Tuesday, 23 April 2024, 8:00 pm
DAMASCUS | Damascus Opera House
Improvisations, choreography and percussions
Mario Mariani (Italy), piano, pipe organ
Rahaf Aljaber (Syria), choreograhy and dance
Omran Abou Yahia, Shafikn Yaghi (Syria), percussions
Wednesday, 24 April 2024, 8:00 pm
DAMASCUS | Damascus Opera House
Recital for violin & piano
Daniel Auner (Austria), violin
Mitra Kotte (Austria), piano
Thursday, 25 April, 2024, 8:00 pm
DAMASCUS | Damascus Opera House
Concert for pipe organ & orchestra
Aarón Ribas (Spain), pipe organ
Syrian National Symphony Orchestra
Missak Baghboudarian (Syria), conductor
Saturday, 27 April 2024, 6 pm
DAMASCUS (Salhieh) | Latin Church of St. Anthony
Concert for Choir & Orchestra
Choir and Orchestra of the Higher Institute of Music
Missak Baghboudarian (Syria), conductor
Sunday, 28 April 2024, 8:00 pm
DAMASCUS (Tabbaleh) | St. Paul’s Memorial
Performance of the master class in Chamber music
Daniel Auner (Austria), violin & conductor
Monday, 29 April 2024, 7:30 pm
ALEPPO (Azizieh) | Latin Church of St. Francis
Film-concert with live music commentary
Mario Mariani (Italy), pipe organ
Choir “La Classica” conducted by Joseph Baghdo (Syria)
Monday, 29 April 2024, 5:00 pm
DAMASCUS | Higher Institute of Music
Final concert of the master class in Chamber music
Mitra Kotte (Austria), piano
Daniel Auner (Austria), violin & conductor
Monday, 29 April 2024, 8:00 pm
DAMASCUS | Damascus Opera House
Concert with chamber orchestra
Daniel Auner (Austria), violin & conductor
Wednesday, 1 May 2024, 7:00 pm
LATAKIA | Latin Church of the Sacred Heart
Film-concert with live music commentary
Mario Mariani (Italy), electronic organ
San Francesco e il Sultano
St. Francis and the Sultan
القديس فرنسيس والسلطان
Opera in four parts
Libretto: Bartolomeo Pirone
Music: Fr. Khalil Rahme
Orchestration: Fadi Taouk
Produced by the Custody of the Holy Land with the support of the Italian Cultural Institute in Beirut and Pro Terra Sancta.
Technical sponsor: Noursat / Telelumiere.
Watch it on YouTube
Join us to watch the concerts live streaming below:
6 p.m. – Jerusalem, Athens, Rhodes, Cyprus, Damascus, Amman, Beirut
5 p.m. – Roma, Berlin, Wien, Bern and Central European Time
4 p.m. – London, Dublin, Lisbon
12 p.m. – Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires
11 a.m. – EST
10 a.m. – CT
9 a.m. – MT
8 a.m. – PT
WATCH MORE CONCERTS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL http://www.youtube.com/c/TerraSanctaOrganFestival
OR FACEBOOK PAGE https://www.facebook.com/TerraSanctaOrgan/
Terra Sancta Organ Festival
Custodia Terrae Sanctae
Memorial of Moses
Mount Nebo Siyagha
Faysaliyah – P.O.B. 217196
Madaba JORDAN
e-mail: organfestival@custodia.org
