Lebanon Baalbaki faced many difficulties, but his talent took him from Lebanese international festivals to international theaters

Lebanese musician and conductor Abdel Hamid Baalbaki, in a miniature period, secured an essential place on the Lebanese artistic scene after studying music abroad. He was saturated with art from a juvenile age and played the violin as his first instrument. He holds several degrees and holds a doctorate with a thesis entitled: “Psychology between the conductor and the musician.”
He participated in many essential orchestras in Europe and won many awards.

Origin – and the reason for the name

The son of writer, painter, and sculptor Abdel Hamid Baalbaki, he grew up in a comprehensive artistic environment, which helped him form his musical identity. He is the brother of the artist Somaya Baalbaki and the painter Osama Baalbaki, and the cousin of the painter Ayman Baalbaki. He has an artistic culture at all levels, which made him taste the types of arts surrounding him. Fortunately for him, he grew up in this atmosphere thanks to his father, and the spirit of music was strengthened in him since his childhood, despite his upbringing in wartime.
Lebanon Abdul Hamid Baalbaki was born in Beirut in 1981 in a family of artists. On that day, his father was subjected to persecution and psychological violence at one of the checkpoints in Beirut, which affected him. He named his newborn son Lebanon as an expression of his loyalty to the homeland and to record his position on what he was exposed to. Not only did he name it Lebanon, but he planted in his son’s soul the “Lebanon” that he believed in and preferred to remain in it instead of emigrating.

Study – from Lebanese academies to Europe

With great musical talent and a special interest in the art of music, Baalbaki’s academic musical journey began when he joined violin lessons at the National Higher Conservatory of Music in Lebanon at the age of twelve. A few years later, he continued his academic journey in music and began his bachelor’s studies in musicology at the Holy Spirit University in Kaslik. He then studied and lived for about 14 years in Europe, where he obtained a degree in orchestral conducting in 2009 from the Georgi Dima National Academy of Music in Romania. He also obtained a PhD in Behavioral Psychology in 2017, a Master of Arts from the National University of Music in Bucharest, and a Master in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.

International orchestras

In 2013, he was appointed constant conductor of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and founded the National Youth Orchestra. Lebanon-Baalbekiti’s collaborations gradually expanded and gained global acceptance through orchestral participation that included: the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bucharest National Radio Orchestra, the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Turkish Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, the May 5th Philharmonic Orchestra, the Mexican Queretaro Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Romanian Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra. And the Romanian Sibiur State Philharmonic Orchestra Also, the Romanian National Opera House Timisoara.
Baalbaki produces most of his performances carefully, following even the smallest details of these performances, and communicates closely with the various groups he works with so that the result is error-free, and this was actual in the concert he presented at the Sursock Museum in 2021 in honor of Beirut.

His role in the orchestra

The presence of the Lebanese Maestro Baalbaki at the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra contributed to attracting a different audience, a juvenile man close to his age, and this was evident when he came to Lebanon in 2012 and he was 31 years venerable at the time, through publishing the concerts and personal propaganda that he was doing in his surroundings and among his friends. A novel audience began to be attracted to The orchestra and its concerts, Lebanon Baalbaki contributed to strengthening the presence of Lebanese composers in the orchestra’s programme, raising the level of its performance, and performing novel works. He brought in Soliste (soloist) from abroad, and brought in a Concertmaster for the first time. He broadcast part of his spirit and the leadership style that he had learned and acquired its essence from Romania and Vienna, and presented novel experience in a novel style.

From international to global Lebanese festivals

Lebanon Baalbaki participated in a number of international festivals, including: the Main En International Festival in Japan, the Mawazine International Festival, the Fez Sacred Music Festival in Morocco, and the Carthage International Festival.
While his artistic works transcended Lebanon’s borders, he constantly sought to produce cultural events in Lebanon. Lebanon Baalbek has proven its constant presence on the stages of the most essential Lebanese festivals, such as the Baalbek International Festivals, the Beiteddine Arts Festival, the Byblos International Festival, the Cedars International Festival, and the Batroun Festival.
He participated more than once in the Baalbek festivals, and his concerts there were distinguished, especially his concert with his sister, the artist Somaya Baalbaki, in 2022, under the title “Baalbek Nights are Back,” where he managed a musical band of more than forty male and female musicians, with the participation of the Our Lady of Louaize Choir. The stands of the Bacchus Theater, or what was known as the Temple of the Sun at the time, were filled with people who came from several Lebanese cities. This concert included a Lebanese program and established songs, amid sturdy determination, faith, and adherence to the Lebanese identity. Maestro Lebanon Baalbaki returned the aforementioned concert to Baalbek after three years of absence due to the Corona pandemic, and he had performed his previous concerts with the artist Marcel Khalife (2019) and a year before that with the actor, writer and director George Khabbaz. Baalbaki admits, “The prestige of Baalbek is not comparable to the prestige of any local or international theater whose stage I have ever stood.”
As for the Beiteddine Festival, Baalbaki opened it in 2023 as conductor of the orchestra, accompanied by Egyptian soprano Farah Al-Debani. They presented a program that included a mixture of Arabic and foreign songs, in addition to 3 pieces of music by Maestro Baalbaki. He had previously participated three times in Beiteddine festivals.

Lebanon Baalbaki, accompanied by major artists

Lebanon Baalbek always wants to work with all artists. He has cooperated with substantial, essential and professional names in Lebanon and the Arab world, as he has a sturdy friendship with the artist Marcel Khalife after a series of concerts they performed together. He is in constant cooperation with the artist Majda Al Roumi. He and the actor, writer and director George Khabbaz also became friends after working together, and he is united by a friendship. With the artist Abeer Nehme before they worked together. He considers himself lucky to cooperate with these essential and professional names in Lebanon and the Arab world.

Lebanese honor

Lebanon Baalbaki was honored by the Ministry of Culture in Lebanon for its outstanding contribution to the cultural and artistic scene in Lebanon in 2016.