Concert on Saturday, April 5 is the first area appearance for Marcel Khalife in 20 years and also features son Rami Khalife and nephew Sary Khalife
Ann Arbor, MI (March 2025) — The University Musical Society (UMS) brings Lebanese oud legend Marcel Khalife to Ann Arbor’s Hill Auditorium on Saturday, April 5 at 7:30 pm in a new program titled Legacy. This concert marks the first time in 20 years that Marcel Khalife has performed at Hill Auditorium, and the first since 2012 in Southeast Michigan.
The program, which celebrates the Khalife family’s extraordinary musical legacy, features Khalife’s son Rami, a celebrated pianist, and his nephew, Sary, who has carved out a unique space in the world of music as a skilled cellist and composer. The concert will only be performed in five cities across the United States (Ann Arbor, Cleveland, Atlanta, Nashville, and Boston).
Tickets ($17-$60, with student discounts available) and additional information are available at ums.org/khalife. The performance will also be streamed live, at no cost, at ums.org.
This cross-generational trio of Khalifes will perform beloved classics and original compositions, showcasing Marcel’s innovative blend of traditional Arabic forms and Western elements.
Revered as a cultural icon in the Arab World and beyond, Marcel Khalife is deeply attached to the texts of great contemporary Arab poets. He is an innovator in Arab music who draws upon traditional forms and blends Western elements to create an evocative sound that has captured audiences around the world. His extensive body of work encompasses groundbreaking compositions, orchestral and choral works, music for dance, and concertos for a variety of traditional instruments, all represented on more than 20 recordings from the past 50 years.
Joining Marcel in this program that underscores his family’s incredible musical legacy are his nephew and son, each of whom is a celebrated artist in his own right. Sary Khalife masterfully incorporates the Arabic quarter tone on his cello, infusing Arabic melodies with Western sounds and creating an evocative soundscape that intrigues listeners. Pianist and composer Rami Khalife has had a wide-ranging career performing everything from concertos with orchestra to his classic electro group AUFGANG.
This concert is presented as part of Arab American Heritage Month and presented with support from the Ken Fischer Legacy Endowment Fund, the Commission for Middle Eastern American Affairs. Additional support is provided by media partners WEMU 89.1 FM, Michigan Public 91.7 FM, WDET 101.9 FM, and Ann Arbor’s 107one.
