ANTONINE UNIVERSITY CHOIR
Artistic director and conductor: Toufic MAATOUK
Founded in 1978, the Antonine University Choir is an integral part of the Faculty of Music and Musicology. The choir has contributed since the eighties in the cultural enrichment of the Lebanese musical life with its repertory, by focusing on the Antonine musical tradition and by being faithful to the monastic tradition of
the Antonine Maronite Order. Its repertory is very rich in classical and contemporary music. The Choir of the Antonine University has performed concerts and done tours in: Rome, Milan, Nice, Lyon, Monaco, St. Étienne, Doha, Dubai, Al Aïn in United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Tbilisi, Paris, New york, Los Angeles, Muscat, Naples, Venice and Helsinki. It has participated in the Classical Music Festival of Al Ain (United Arab Emirates 2008-2009), Al Bustan International Festival (2009-2020), Byblos International Festival (2010-2011-2013-2014), Baalbeck International Festival (2011-2018-2019-2020), Beirut Chants Festival-Lebanon (2008-2020), Ehdeniyat (2016), Tbilisi Opera Festival (2012), Festival d'Ile de France (2012-2013), and Bahrain International Music Festival (2013). In May 2010, April 2013 and May 2015, the choir performed at the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York. It made its Los Angeles debut in April 2014, performing at the Marsee auditorium at El Camino College, and the LA City Hall. In November 2016, the choir also made its debut at the San Carlo opera house performing Mozart’s “Requiem” together with the choir of Teatro Di San Carlo at the Duomo in Naples. In addition, the choir has represented Lebanon in the opening of the Lebanese Pavilion at the 57th Venice Biennale in May 2017 and performed the premiere of “ŠamaŠ Itima” (Obscure sun), a 32 voices a cappella piece composed by Zad Moultaka. Lately, the choir has reproduced “ŠamaŠ Itima” in Helsinki, Finland in August 2018. The Choir performed with several orchestras such as the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Romania Timisoara (Qatar), Orchestra of Teatro di San Carlo (Naples), New England symphonic ensemble (New York), Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra (Georgia), Musica Sinfonia de Los Angeles, The State Youth Orchestra of Armenia, Orchestra dei pomeriggi Musicali (Milano), Orchestra Giovanile Mediterranea (Palermo) and United Strings of Europe Orchestra, Romanian Radio Chamber Orchestra. The numerous CDs of the Maronite religious traditions of Antonine University’s choir have been produced by the university itself. Events & international Concerts:
Église Saint Chamon- (Saint Étienne, France) 2007
Église Saint Pierre d’Arène – (Nice, France) 2007
Cathédrale de Monaco (Monaco) 2007
Théâtre de la Mairie (Divonne les Bains, France) 2007
Cathédrale Saint Jean (Lyon, France) 2007
Dubai Financial Center (UAE) 2008
Al Ain classical music festival (UAE) 2008
Al Ain classical music festival (UAE) 2009
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Rome, Italy) 2010
Carnegie Hall (New York) 2010
Basilica di San Pietro (Vatican) 2011
Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere (Rome, Italy) 2011
Festival Île de France (Paris, France) 2012
Festival Île de France (Paris, France) 2013
Georgian opera house (Tbilisi) 2013
Carnegie Hall (New York, USA) 2013
Bahrain National Theater (Manama, Bahrain) 2014
Carnegie Hall (New York, USA) 2015
Teatro San Carlo (Naples- Italy) 2016
Duomo di Napoli (Naples- Italy) 2016
Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere (Rome, Italy) 2016
