Byzantine Music Ensemble - Lebanon (BMEL)

The Byzantine Music Ensemble – Lebanon (BMEL) has currently the form of a vocal ensemble that undergoes and carries out a continuous workshop. It has no fixed staff except its founder and leader, Mikhael Hourani. The number of members varies currently from five to twelve, according to the timing and circumstances of every event. BMEL is self-funded and has no external sources of funding. The main activity until present time was teaching the traditional Byzantine Music and Chant, executing them in live services in several churches in Lebanon, and performing them in concerts. As affiliated to the “Fondation pour la Musique Classique Arabe”, the BMEL shares with it common values, educational views, and field of action, cooperating with the Université Antonine (UA) where both groups directors act as academicians: Professor of Musicology Nidaa Abou Mrad, Director of Higher Institute of Music (ISM) and Mr. Mikhael Hourani (DEA), teacher of Musicology.