Nabil Azzam met with master musician Mikis Theodorakis at his residence in Athens. Mr. Theodorakis is holding a special baton that Nabil presented to him. It's made out of olive wood from Nazareth especially made for him. Mr. Theodorakis promised to compose a new piece for MESTO to be premiered this year!

Nabil Azzam at the Sheikh Zayid Mosque in Abu Dhabi and a kind invitation to the Presidential Palace

The Honorable Mr. Zaki Nusseibeh in his office at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi. Advisor of Ministry of Presidential Affairs; Vice Chairman, Abu Dhabi Authority of Culture and Heritage.

With Mrs. Noura Joumblat, President of Beiteddine Festival, Lebanon.

Nabil Azzam with his friend star singer Tony Hanna and his band.
With composer/arranger and poet Mr. Elias Rahbani and an invitation to hear the new musical Eela with start singer Abeer Nehmeh. Jan. 30, 2010

 

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Amazing Stars of MESTO, October 25, 2009
Zipper Hall, Los Angeles
Nabil Azzam, music director, conductor
Guest artist: Karima Skalli (Morocco)
Charlie Gould, bassoon
Lilit Khojayan, qanun

Star singer Karima Skalli

Nabil Azzam conducts MESTO

Lilit Khojayan performed Carnival of Venice by Paganini

Lilit Khojayan, qanun vistuoso and Charlie Gould is so loved by the audience> Charlie performed two Arab songs specially arranged for bassoon and orchestra by Nabil Azzam
The Composer's Award is presented to Mr. Shelly Cohen in recognition to his numerous arrangements for MESTO for almost ten years. Salute!

Our great wind section: Laura Halladay, Armen Khatchatryan, Mandy Fey-Carota, Tom Jones and Marzena Nabours (while Charlie Gould performed his solo

Group photo: Mr. Sami Asmar, Nabil Azzam, Dr. Jihad Racy, Karima Skalli, Dr. Barbara Racy and Dr. Munir Beken

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October 17, 2009
MESTO at the Max Fisher Concert Hall in Detroit as part of the 6th Annual Gala
Arab-American National Museum (Dearborn)

Karima Skalli "The Golden Voice" shines in front of great audience
The first half was dedicated to instrumental compositions of Abd al-Wahhab, Farid El-Atrache, Rahbani Bros. and Baligh Hamdi

Nabil Azzam performs Bahlam Biek for violin and orchestra

Karima sings with MESTO under Nabil Azzam songs of Umm Kulthum, Fairouz, Asmahan, Abd al-Wahhab and Sayyid Darwish

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Nabil Azzam is back from, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut and Nazareth...

Honoring legendary singers Wadie al-Safi (right) and Sabah (below)

Poet Henri Zoghaib, Sabah and Nabil Azzam @ Casino Libnan, May 30-2009


Host of the event Lebanese Minister of Tourism Mr. Elie Marouni

At the home of Maestro Elias Rahbani: Ghassan Fahoum, Nabil Azzam, Elias Rahbani and
Prof. Elie Kesrouani

Lebanese Star Singer Tony Hanna...generous invitation at a great restaurant

TV show host Tony Khalifa.. an interest in MESTO

Dubai...Hotels are super clean...

Nabil and son Salim Azzam, Esq. in Dubai
(more photos click on 'news' above)

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A Very Successful Concert! Feb.21, 2009

At UCLA, Schoenberg Hall

Karima Skalli
shines with MESTO under the baton of
Nabil Azzam

(Alakhbar)

Karima performed with mastery songs of great Egyptian singers (S. Twair)

The audience loved the elegance of the music and the singer (B. Winchell)

Flute virtuoso Laura Halladay performed Celtic Fantasia by Stephanie Bennett

Halladay and Azzam acknowledging composer Bennett

Oud player Fahd Shaaban in his debut on guitar! The active audience insisted on repeating the intro of the song of Umm Kulthum with the perfected solos of Qanun virtuoso Lilit Khojayan and Shaaban on the guitar, Leola Wagner, violin...Maestro Azzam was so accommodating with his prompt action. He stopped the orchestra and started the piece twice.

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Singing With The Stars
Sat. Feb. 21, 2009 @7:00
UCLA
Schoenberg Hall (music department): 405 Hilgard Ave. Los Angeles CA 90024
Reserve your tickets early January 2009. Call tickets line (310) 795-4280
General admission $40 (Sponsors $100)
Her debut concert in the U.S

Featuring Middle-East Star
KARIMA
The fabulous Moroccan singer Karima Skalli has earned her fame throughout the Middle East thanks to her success in performing concerts of Arab musical traditions.
Repertoire includes: Inta Umri (song of Umm Kultum;) La' Mush Ana (Abd al-Wahhab;)
Layali al- Uns (Asmahan;) Ya Habibi Ta'ala (Asmahan.) In addition to instrumental compositions; Celtic Fantasia for flutes by Stephanie Bennett (soloist Laura Halladay) Sama'i Farahfaza, Longa Shahnaz, Maribel (by Nabil Azzam,) Min Fiotunak and Laila Laila (of Muhammad Abdo) and more...

Also featuring MESTO's flute virtuoso

Laura Halladay
(Performing Celtic Fantasia by Famous American Composer Stephanie Bennet)

Nabil Azzam
conductor and music director

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MESTO just performed for the occasion!
Jan. 24 @USC

MPAC in support of Gaza
Wonderful concert
Wonderful audience
Humaniterian cause...Gaza




Star singer Woroud captivated the audience



Dr. Maher Hathout, Chairman of the Board of MPAC thanks Maestro Azzam
and star singer Woroud

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Cairo in Hollywood
October 26, 2008
Zipper Concert Hall @ Colburn School of Music
Los Angeles
HUGE SUCCESS and enthusiastic audience
RAVE REVIEWS

Thanks to Maestro Nabil Azzam
Lilit Khojayan, qanun virtuoso
Anna-Suzette Eblen, our talented soprano
Dalal Abu Amneh, star-singer from Nazareth
Talented and dedicated orchestra musicians

photo by Samir Twair

The orchestra performed variety of compositions from around the world

Soprano Anna-Suzette; Star-singer Dalal Abu Amneh and Maestro Nabil Azzam
photo by Fatima Atiyyah

Qanun virtuoso Lilit Khojayan performs "Jasmine" by Nabil Azzam
dedicated to Dr. Tarek Shawaf

Talented soprano Anna-Suzette Eblen sings "Memory" and "Besame Mucho"..she's the darling of the audience.

The orchestra in full...photo by Drew Kogon

Star-singer of the Middle East the fabulos Dalal Abu Amneh arrived from Nazareth specially to perform with MESTO only one day before her first performance in the US. Dalal captured the hearts of the audience (Photo by: Samir Twair)

Dalal performing on of three songs: "Haddi ya Bahar," "Misru Allati," and "Fi Yum wi-Laila"

The audience gave MESTO and the soloists a standing ovation

Encore!!Dalal sings Egyptian song Biladi Biladi and Azzam accompanies on violin photo by Fatima Atiyyah

MESTO is appreciated by a diverse audience typical of Los Angeles

Right before the concert Maestro Azzam with the two fabulous singers Anna-Suzette and Dalal Abu Amneh of Nazareth (photo by Fatimah Atiyyah)

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NABIL AZZAM returns for the Middle East
Click on NEWS...

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The latest...An official invitation to perform at the 17th Arab Music Festival and Conference in Cairo, November 1-10, 2008! Professor Ratiba El-Hefny "Our audience loves MESTO!" MESTO performs Tuesday, November 4th. (Cairo Opera) Thursday, November 6th (Alexandria Opera) Special guest singer with MESTO in Cairo! Who will enchant the audience? NEW*** Youtube!! search for "Ahwak MESTO"*** Sunday, June 1st. 2008 @ 7:00 pm "Babylon in San Diego" Bravo...Bravo Smashing success! Great repertoire, talented musicians, warm audience. The concert was one of the best. Al-Jazeerah TV covered the event, will broadcast all-over the world. Minutes before the concert, MESTO rehearsing with Samir Rizq Nabil Azzam conducts the orchestra with mastery and confidence The audience was so responsive to and supportive of the orchestra. Guest star singers were fabulous Woroud-and-Samir Rizq Sherwood Auditorium The Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego   Baalbek in Hollywood. Sunday, April 20, 2008 Zipper Concert Hall at The Colburn School of Music. Los Angeles The orchestra performed instrumental selection and demonstrated mastery with Lebanese music performed by star singer Woroud and star singer Maurice Raad. The audience loved Woroud and Maurice Raad and our Qanun virtuoso Lilit Khojayan Raad-Singing al-Safi and Tony Hanna and Joseph Azar with confidence and smile Woroud with MESTO since its first concert! Artistic performance of special repertoire that included great songs of Fairouz, the Rahbani Brothers and Elias Rahbani Conductor Azzam with both Woroud and Maurice Raad and enthusiastic audience Mr. Maurice Mitri receives the award Friend of MESTO. On the stage Dr. Hassan Sassi (co-chair) Maurice Mitri, Dr. Raymond Jallow and our Fahd Shaaban who was the MC before the second half of the concert. Shaaban also announced the 88th birthday of Mr. Charlie Gould (our basson player) MESTO sponsor Dr. Tarek Shawaf (middle) is the guest of honor who flew from London specially to attend "Baalbek in Hollywood." From left, Dr. Raymond Jallow (co-founder, friends of MESTO) Nabil Azzam, Dr. Tarek Shawaf, Captain Joseph John and Dr. Naji Jurdi (who commissioned Banadi 'Alaik of El-Atrache) Very special guests: Representing the Asian community, highly respected guests of our good friend Mrs. Chisako Kanimaru (second from left.) The music of Lebanon appealed to their ear! By phone from Beirut commenting on Baalbek in Hollywood this Sunday Maestro Elias Rahbani to Nabil Azzam "Your orchestra is promoting our music in the most dignified way...Bravo" Baalbek in Hollywood Music of Lebanon Nabil Azzam-conductor Zipper Concert Hall 200 South Grand Ave, Los Angeles CA 90012 For tickets call MESTO @ (310) 795-4280 general admission $30 (sponsors $100) We accept payment with PayPal (mestomusic@aol.com) Sunday,April 20, 2008 @ 8:00 pm Featuring Star Singers --------- Woroud--------Maurice