Hiba Al Kawas was born on 17 July 1972 in
Sidon, Lebanon.[1]
Career
Composer
Hiba Al Kawas has recorded 21 works of her own composition with the Dnepropetrovsk Symphony Orchestra-Ukraine under the direction of Vyacheslav Blinov, and 10 works with the
Kraków Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Wojciech Czepiel. She has recorded 13 works with The
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine and the National Choir of Kiev conducted by Vladimir Sirenko. In 2000, participated as a composer in the
Kraków Contemporary Composition Festival, where the Kraków chamber Orchestra played her Aspiration No.1 conducted by Wojceich Czepiel. At her second appearance at the festival, her composition Moments in Krakow was given its world premiere by the Kraków Academy of Music conducted Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Wojceich Czepiel. Her orchestral work, Pleusis 1, which was premiered in 2000 by the
Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Harout Fazlian and by Wojciech Czepiel, has been played by the
City of London Sinfonia,
Cairo Symphony Orchestra, Kraków Symphony Orchestra,
Bolshoi State Theatre Symphony Orchestra.[1]
On 14 October 2007, her composition Rou'ia fi Maa received its première at the
Opéra Bastille in
Paris.[2] The work comprises five instrumental and three song pieces based on Arabic poems by
Nada El Hage. It was commissioned by the Festival d'Automne for contemporary music and performed by the Neuwe Ensemble of Amsterdam with Al Kawas singing the soprano solos.[1] In November 2007 a short musical film Noor - Lady Light was produced using Hiba Al Kawas' song Asra Biqalbi which is based on a poem by
Abdel Aziz Khoja.[3]
Concert artist
She performed at the opening ceremony of
Tyre festival in Lebanon and the Al-Medina Festival in
Tunis. On 30 November 2006, Hiba Al Kawas performed along with
José Carreras in
Dubai at the second anniversary of the
Dubai International Financial Centre, accompanied by the
City of London Sinfonia Orchestra, conducted by
David Giménez Carreras and
Brad Cohen. She performed songs of her own composition and sang a duet with Carreras, "All I Ask of You" from The Phantom of the Opera. On 19 February 2007 Al Kawas sang several of her compositions in the presence of President
Jacques Chirac at the
IMA in Paris. She dedicated her song O Liban soit sauvé! (composed to the poetry of
Nada El Hage) to President Chirac and the memory of
Rafic Hariri. On 2 April 2008, Al Kawas closed the 5th Abu Dhabi Music and Art Festival, accompanied by
Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra. Several of her compositions inspired by Andalusian music were premiered at the Festival with
José María Gallardo Del Rey on guitar.[4] On 21 April 2008, she presented a music, poetry, and meditation evening, "The Sound of a Peaceful Heart", with Dadi Janki, the head of Brahma Komaris University, and the poets Hoda Naamani and Nada El Hage. On 19 June 2008 she performed her songs in London with the
Nieuw Ensemble, Amsterdam, at the
Cadogan Hall.[5]
Compositions
Instrumental
For symphony orchestra
Ilaik (Overture), (1995)
Pleusis No.1 in 3 movements, (2000) - Dedicated to Mrs.
Nazik Hariri, in recognition of her support and patronage and played for the first time by the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Harout Fazlian.
Moments In Krakow (Overture), (2002)
Baina Nahrain, (2004) - Commissioned by
Al Jazeera television.
Arabic
arias for soprano, choir and symphony orchestra
Ma Asani Aqoulu, poetry by Houda Naamani, (1995)
Unshoudat Al Matar, poetry by Badr Shaker Assaiiab, (1995)
Ode to Peace, poetry by Houda Naamani, (2000)
To Saida, poetry by Hamza Abboud, (2000)
Qalbi Yuhaddithuni, poetry by Ibn El Farid, (2003)
Salam El Hurriya, poetry by Nada El Hage, (2005) - Dedicated to the memory of the late Lebanese Prime Minister,
Rafic El Hariri. This composition was also produced as a musical film by Milad Tawq.
Ya Ayyuha El Ati Mina Zzaman, poetry by Henry Zgheib, (2005)
Liajli Lubnan, poetry by Houda Naamani, (2005)
O Liban Soit Sauvé, poetry by Nada El Hage, (2007)
Arabic arias for soprano and symphony orchestra
Arousa Asharq, poetry by Souheil Al Kawas, (1989)
Tashkou Thalam Allail, poetry by Mohammed Bin Ahmed Al Souweidi, (1994)
Laallaka Tushiluha Thata Yawm, poetry by
Ounsi El Hage, (1994)
Liajlika, poetry by Houda Naamani, (1995)
Being you being me, poetry by Houda Naamani, (1995)
Hatta Law Inhalat Eshshams, poetry by Houda Naamani, (1995)
Intu Nsitouna, poetry bu Mohammed Bin Ahmed Al Souweidi, (1996)
Limatha Nuhawilu Hatha Assafar, poetry by
Mahmoud Darwish, (1992)
Min Ghiabika La Yahda'u Ellail, poetry by Hamza Abboud, (1996)
Honors and awards
On 22 January 2007 Hiba Al Kawas received the decoration from Sultān
Qaboos bin Said al Said, The Golden Order of Sultan Qaboos for Culture, Science and Art.
In July 2003, a postage stamp with her name and picture was published in Lebanon.