Maksad, Firas
He is the son of Samir Maksad and the nephew of Sami Maksad (Review the
Prominent families). Firas completed his studies at the
American University of Beirut before departing to
Washington D.C. and became an assistant to Dennis Ross, the
"Middle East Presidential Envoy and Chief Middle East
Negotiator Ambassador". Currently, he is an advanced degree
candidate at Georgetown University's graduate School of Foreign Service,
where he is pursuing an MS in Foreign Service, a Finance
degree and an Honors diploma in International Business.
Cultural Figures
Actresses
Sayegh, May
May Sayegh is a renowned
actress. During her childhood, she had no trend towards
arts. However, by a strong twist of fate, and thanks to the
writer Antoine Ghandour, she became so fond of acting that
she took part in 2 plays- “Bint As-Sultan” (The Sultans
Daughter) and “Youssef Bey Karam”, in addition to numerous
TV series such as “As-sakii” (Freeze), “Al-Assifa Tahoub
Marratain” (The storm breaks twice), “Nisa’ Fi Al-assifa”
(Women in the storm) - She worked with very important
writers and directors such as Raymond Jbarah, Ussama Anwar
Akasha, Shikri Anis Fakhoury and starred next to important
actors.
Artists
Caricaturists
Sadek, Pierre
Pierre Sadek is a famous
caricaturist known for his daily works published in
“An-Nahar” newspaper and Future TV.
In the morning, he gathers
the information of the day reading local and international
newspapers before he starts drawing caricatures.
Interior Designers
Minguy, Jean-Louis
He was born in 1953,
Beirut from a French father and an Italian mother. He
studied at “ALBA University” and is currently a member of the Beiteddine Festivals' Committee.
Mainguy is also the
Vice-President of “l’Union des Français à l’Etranger”, and
member of the “Association Pour la Sauvegarde des Anciennes
Demeures” (an association for preserving ancient houses).
Some of his projects are
the restoration of Dr. Dray’s castle where he lives, the
interior design of the “Banque Nationale de Paris
Intercontinentale” (B.N.P.I.) at Burj E1-Ghazal in 1994, the
interior design of Hotel Capitol in Dubai and that of Gibran
Khalil Gibran and Georges Shehadé exhibitions at Sursock
Museum, the Patio Hotel at Solidère…
Painters
Abi-Saab, Hoda
Hoda Abi-Saab studied
painting and sculpture in the “Academie Libanaise Des Beaux
Arts” (ALBA) where she graduated with honors. Her paintings
are of a figurative style.
Batrouny Abi-Samra, Grace
Designer and painter, she
was born in Brummana in 1964. Her achievements were on
exhibition at the Forum De Beirut, Brummana Club, Printania
Palace Hotel (Brummana), Piaza Del Bambino (Amchit) and at
the Centre Ville (Beirut).
An expressionist &
impressionist painter, she focuses on portraiture & nudity
in her paintings. Her future project is to paint the old
houses and streets of Brummana.
Baz, Angelica
Her talent for painting
appeared at an early age In autumn 1990 she exhibited her
paintings of aquarel on silk in Gottingen, Germany. In 1993
and 1994, she attended the “ Frères Academie “ school of
arts in Gottingen -Rossford where she exhibited her work in
spring 1994. In May 2000 her oil and acrylic paintings were
on exhibition at the Plaza Club in Brummana Currently, she
works and sells her paintings at her studio in Brummana.
Bu-Rjeily, Elie
Elie Bu-Rjeily studied arts in Lebanon and France.
President of the Massart Group since 1995, his paintings
were on exhibition in France (1986, 1988, 1992 and 1995),
Belgium (1987) and Lebanon (2001). His painting is a clear
combination of materialism, minimalism and abstractionism
Uhlemann, Maria
A teacher in the “Frère” School (Beit Mery). Antoine Ghobreel studied
musicology at the Lebanese National Conservatoire and
graduated in 1967, and he plays the piano and the keyboard.
He founded in St. Achaaya church the choir which he
conducted during a religious ceremony headed by the Pope in
Rome. Antoine also
directed several concerts in Brusselles and Maestrich
(1967), Rome (1970), Varsovia (1974).
Younes, Nuhad
Holder of several degrees in painting, Nuhad Younes paints natural
sceneries, animals and persons. She paints on canvas, silk,
pottery and does ceramic and rousseaux for brides. She
exhibited in churches such as Ste. Takla and St Joseph for she makes
religious icons as well. She also exhibited at the Plaza
Hotel in Brummana.
Painters / Sculptors
Ahmar, Simon
After studying agronomy
for 2 years, Simon decided to drop out and study the major
he loved most: Arts. Brummana was Simon’s main inspiration.
Its exquisite landscapes,
extraordinary pine forests and enchanting combination of the
city and the village were something of a revelation, which
would be embodied by the magic fingers of Simon Ahmar.
Painters / Writers
Salamé, Ramzi Ramzi Salameh was born on July
17, 1953. He majored in both Law and Management, at St.
Joseph University (U.S J) and the American University of Beirut.
A successful businessman, Ramzi owns two lives, “the night is for
painting and writing, the day is for business. On one hand,
the universe I cherish, on the other, the practical life.”
Ramzi has been painting for twenty years now. He considers his
paintings to be seasonal, at night, and especially in
winter. A myriad of his paintings are hung on his house’s
walls, each displays the Lebanese rural constructions. Ramzi
likes bright colors for he lives in the country of the sun.
The exhibition of Salameh’s chef d’oeuvre took place at the
Plaza Club in Brummana, in March 2000. His first manuscript
is “Le Prince des cyniques”
As for his business, Ramzi owns the Cedars Hotel that he
changed a part of it to a group of restaurants and night
life resorts, keeping the other part for his personal
residence. He is also the owner of a chain of touristic
institutions abroad
Musicians
2.3.1. Composers / Musicians
Al-Achkar, Father Youssef
Father Youssef Al-Achkar was born in 1928. Son of the
renowned artist Youssef Nicolas Al-Achkar, he showed a
talent for music at an early age.
In 1950, he founded the
Kaslik Choir. In 1959, he traveled to Rome where he completed his
studies in music for 6 years in “Musica Sacca” founded by
Pope Paul V. He composed 32 religious anthems and 10 CDs for
children with the assistance of renowned poets such as
Youhannah Khawand, Maroun Karam, Assaad Sibaali and many
others. In 1976, he hosted a daily religious program at
Radio Beirut, “The Sky And Earth Perish But My Words Never
Do”, followed by many programs broadcasted by Radio Liban
Libre (R.L.L.).
Awad, Fouad Emile
Fouad Awad was born in Brummana in 1943. He excelled in
music fields and had numerous achievements such as the
official customs anthem. He won several prizes as well (the
Children Song Award in Abu Dhabi) and was a music professor
at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik between 1997 and
1999. Not only, he was a great composer, but also an actor
who starred in a play and in TV series in 1973 and 1982.
Farah, Gus
Gus was born in 1957. At school, he discovered a passion for
drawing. As to music, “The Beatles” were there, reigning in
his mind and later perhaps proved to be his greatest
influence Gus composed jingles for Lebanese radio and T.V.
commercials. In 1981, film producer, Rafic Tamba, was struck
by Gus’s talent and asked him to write a jingle for his
latest commercial. Tamba grew so interested in Gus’s singing
that he offered to finance his first record. Gus’s songs are
powerful and are emotional statements of his struggle to
succeed in his opinion. Lebanese foreign artists should be
given the opportunity to perform their foreign musical shows
or contests, festivals or programs, and thus revive this
talent that a good number of Lebanese possess.
Musicians
Al-Achkar, Elie Gaby
He studied musicology in the Holy Spirit University of
Kaslik (USEK).
In 1993 he conducted the
orchestra of the Schools Music Festivals in Lebanon, and in
1994 he headed the orchestra of the Emigrants Festival in
Dhur Shweir. Currently, he teaches at several schools such
as Central School, Brummana High School, and Besançon….
Ghobreel, Antoine
A teacher in the “Frère” School (Beit Mery). Antoine
Ghobreel studied musicology at the Lebanese National
Conservatoire and graduated in 1967, and he plays the piano
and the keyboard. He founded in St. Achaaya Church the choir
which he conducted during a religious ceremony headed by the
Pope in Rome.
Antoine also directed several concerts in Brusselles and
Maestrich (1967), Rome (1970), Varsovia (1974).
Maksad, Ali Khattar
Doctor, Musician, a famous, humble, humanitarian person in
Brummana. The first in Lebanon to execute a
critical heart surgery, In London, the British television (B
B.C.) broadcasted -in live- one of his surgeries. Artist
with a high level of creativity and professionalism, Dr Ali
plays all oriental instruments such as the “kamanja” (the
violin), the “oud” (the lute), the accordion and especially
the “Qanoun” (the zither). Dr. Ali also played with famous
Lebanese and Arab artists as Wadih As-Safi, Muhammad Abdel
Wahab, Abdel Halim Hafez, and others, along with his close
friend -the Brummanian artist- Naef Awad in private
concerts.
Oriental Musicians
Awad, Naef
By playing several musical instruments especially the lute
and violin, Naef Awad is used to astounding his audience.
Naef Awad and his siblings
(Elias, Saad, Joseph and Latifa) were a unique case. They
were raised by a loving father, Gibran Awad, one of the
“Nawbeh” musicians. Their reputation reached the Arabic
Nations including Egypt. Their restaurant “Grisons” as well
as “Brummana Hotel” gathered well-known Lebanese and Arab
artists from actresses to singers proud of his friendship.
Naef is now over 80 years
old, and still a motivator for arts in Brummana.
Rock Singers
Kanaan, Lydia
Lydia Kanaan is a woman of substance. Her career began in
her native country
Lebanon where she had massive success with sell-out concerts
and many Number One hits on radios. Following her dreams and
determination to break into the international music scene,
Lydia moved to Switzerland where she made numerous
recordings. Her success there brought her to London to
continue her successful path. Lydia settled in New York,
working on many recording projects to establish her voice
and name in America. She offered her voice to serve many
social and humanitarian causes and helped in fund raising
and awareness campaigns.
Singers
Abou-Fadel, Habib
He was a student at the “Conservatoire” (Lebanese National Musical Center).
He performed at several
hotels and restaurants in Brummana in the 1960s, and on the
national television “Télé Liban”. He would sing for famous
Arab and Lebanese singers such as Muhammad Abdel-Wahab,
Wadih Es-Safi and many others as well.
