ESTABLISH AND MANAGE A COMMUNITY-BASED NATIONWIDE BAND PROGRAM
LeBAM is essentially a band/orchestra program that strives to reach its goals and mission through the following three main interrelated activities: teach music, organize bands and perform music.
- 1. Teach Music, free and to high standards of excellence, on wind and percussion instruments that are freely put at the disposal of students.
2. Organize Harmonic Bands and other wind ensembles at national and community levels, including all its music students and others:
Every branch will develop its own Harmonic bands, but also teach enough students in its own area of activity, with targeted surrounding towns, thus allowing it to become a nursing-ground for many other community based bands and other wind ensembles (e.g. wind quintets, jazz or swing bands, smaller town harmonic bands).
LeBAM currently has a one 50 members National Youth Harmonic Band, 2 advanced, 3 intermediate and 4 beginners bands.
a. Types of Bands and Wind Ensembles:
The types of Harmonic bands that are developed by LeBAM are different from the traditional bands current in some rural parts of Lebanon (and scouting associations), which usually play without polyphony, mostly in national, religious or political events and funerals.
Every band should include a minimum number of instruments required to play the expected repertoire. The bands aspire to acquire as many instruments as possible, depending both on available funds and interested potential musicians. Thus, the number of instruments and of band musicians is expected to grow with time.
b. Repertoire:
The repertoire of the LeBAM harmonic bands is varied and includes original compositions, published classical music, light music, and popular tunes, including Lebanese music.
Every effort is made to develop the music library. Also, every effort will be made to commission special pieces, particularly to Lebanese and Arab music, arranged to the level of proficiency of beginners and intermediate bands.
c. Conductors:
Key to the success of every band is one or more competent music director and band conductor. Every effort is spent to develop the number and quality/skills of many conductors and assistant conductors for all levels of bands in all branches. Teachers are currently trained both formally and informally to become future conductors.
3. Organize musical events and perform quality concerts at national and community levels:
The primary function of the projected Harmonic Bands will be to perform concerts during the year, both outdoors and indoors. Every effort will be made to make the concerts free of charge (except for fund-raising concerts) to promote access and appreciation of quality music to the widest possible public.
a. National and Community Concerts:
All LeBAM bands and ensembles are encouraged to perform concerts in public venues and participate in their respective communities events for free, unless for its own fundraising events.
Many concerts are organized annually in several local venues by the intermediate and advanced bands, such as:
- Concerts on public squares for various local events and holidays
- Special concerts, with social impact, such as at an elderly home
- Christmas concerts in various churches and halls
In all cases, an important policy is mandatory to all bands and ensembles to underscore its nonprofit and non-political nature: all LeBAM bands are forbidden to participate in any political activity or event, in addition to funerals, weddings and dinners.
The LeBAM National Harminic Band, including a selection of the best musicians of existing community bands, is also organized and trained to perform concerts at the national level. The LeBAM National Harmonic Band performed in various settings, such as the following:
- Prestigious venues, such as the Victoria Hall in Geneva in 2011 and the Beiteddine Festival in 2012 and 2013.
- Unusual places and events such as the Chouf Cedar Reserve, in the context of the musical event “Promenade musicale”, in 2012 and 2013.
- Special concerts, such as the celebration of the day of the Annunciation in 2013 with a specially formed elderly choir and music arranged for the occasion; the opening concert of the 2013 NDU Student Film Festival interpreting a medley of film music.
- Annual Christmas concerts and a first part in the Christmas concert of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, organized yearly since 2010.
b. Concerts Abroad:
The LeBAM Youth National band was invited to perform a concert in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 17, 2011. With time, such participation in concerts abroad and tours will be encouraged and developed, because they add a wealth of learning experiences and challenges to all, musicians, teachers and conductors alike. They also represent a very nice image of Lebanon and the Lebanese abroad.
c. Develop Musical Creativity (compositions and arrangements):
LeBAM seeks to develop appropriate music for all the teaching and performance levels of the bands in all music styles (e.g. classical, jazz, world music, Lebanese and Arabic music). Particularly, LeBAM seeks to further develop the repertoire in Lebanese and Arabic music, in collaboration with composers and music arrangers. It has so far commissioned and performed many arrangements on Lebanese music, especially written for the various levels of its bands
(e.g. beginner, intermediate, advanced).
