Under the direction of Sr Marana Saad and the patronage of Saint Rafqa, Philokalia Choir, known till 2018 as Saint Rafqa Institute Choir, has established its reputation as one of the leading choirs in Lebanon. Since its foundation in 2010, several masses, concerts, festivals and occasions each year have allowed our choir to showcase their work technically, vocally and musically. The choir has participated in concerts alongside prominent orchestras, received many invitations to festivals, and has also collaborated with other leading choirs. The choir provides education in the field of sacred music —specifically Maronite sacred music, Oriental and Lebanese classical music, for both choral and solo. Some of the most known: Christmas concert at the presidential palace in Baabda, concerts at the Maronite Catholic Patriarchate in Bkerke and at different churches and theatres in every corner of Lebanon. The choir has participated in concerts with orchestras and has received invitations to international festivals and big celebrations and events, such as: Crossroad festival in Cyprus (2018/2013), Saint Anthony Maronite Catholic Church Festivities in Virginia – USA (2016/2018), Celebrations of Saint Maron’s feast in Germany (2018) and Italy (2016), World Youth Day with The Pope Francis in Poland (2016) and Lebanese international choir festival (2018/2015). Philokalia Choir (previously Saint Rafqa’s) has also presented an operetta with live orchestra - Rafqa’s musical theatre (March 2014). Moreover, the choir has recorded and performed many soundtracks for TV and movies, namely “Ghadi” written by Georges Khabbaz (2013) and presented big events with different orchestras in concerts with prominent artists such as Magida El Roumi, with Charbel Rouhana in “Let Your Light Shine” at the Casino Du Liban (2016) with Marcel Khalife at Amchit Festival (2017) and with Khaled Mouzanar at Baalback Festival Lebanon (2018). In summer 2014, Saint Rafqa’s Choir (now Philokalia) organized Friendship between choirs’ festival in Lebanon, where they hosted music and choral workshops and invited leading choirs in Lebanon. The choir has participated in different workshops and conferences and has recorded CD’s of sacred, Lebanese and oriental music, and performed in TV programs as actors and choristers. The target of our choir’s new name “Philokalia” is to accomplish a task in the artistic creation by modelling the wonderful “material” of our humanity and exerting an inspiring and creative domination of the universe around us. Our choir is a family that would be an instrument of beauty in the hands of God and aims to promote spiritual, artistic, cultural and social beauty. Philokalia Choir is characterised by its openness to the artistic charisms, different cultures and religions. The spirit raises in its members’ the ability and spirituality to renew the church in the good, the right and the beautiful. The charisma of our choir is that the beautiful gift of God’s spirit is “music” or “art” through which the Philokalist choristers must say everything and express in word, music and action. Our music is in mission to the new evangelization. Philokalia Children Choir
Under the direction of Sister Marana Saad, known till 2018 as Saint Rafqa’s children choir, Philokalia Children choir established its reputation as one of the most professional children choirs in Lebanon. Philokalia Children Choir has approximatively 80 members, aged between four and thirteen years old. The choir aims to develop children’s musical knowledge by giving every child an ideal musical, cultural and spiritual environment to grow in. Beside the personal, spiritual and social growth, children will grow up learning fine singing techniques and acquire a special vocal pedagogy so they become competent and high qualified choristers, future musicians and singers. The children sing polyphonic pieces as well as monody, and Arabic Muashahat as well as Lebanese folk songs. Moreover, since the choir’s mission is to reveal the beauty of God through music and art, Philokalia children choir aims to protect Christian Heritage, especially Maronite Heritage, by mastering Maronite, Syriac and other liturgical hymns. Children are open to other cultures, exchange their knowledge with others and learn from others, which enlarge their cultural dimensions and musical experience. The choir’s varied repertoire includes oriental and occidental polyphonies and monodies, and hymns for all liturgical seasons and rites. As well as performing its own concerts, the choir has sung with Philokalia adults’ choir, orchestras and ensembles in many concert halls, churches, festivals along Lebanon…International concerts took young singers to France (2013) to sing in “La contrebasse Voyageuse”. Moreover, the children sung with prominent Lebanese artists as Magida el Roumi and participated with Lebanese orchestras as they sung Arabic Muashahat with the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Music lead by Maestro Lubnan Baalbaki. The choir also had special appearances in many TV shows and films (as Ghadi for Georges Khabbaz). Philokalia Children Choir rehearses every Saturday from 15:00 PM till 17:00 PM in Batroun and every interested child can be a member of the choir.
