Here is the article journalist Hasana Sakbani recently wrote about composer & conductor Samer Hatoum:
Samer Hatoum......... the cheerful music is better than the medicine for the unhealthy imagination.
An international music maker, enriched the Lebanese oriental music until he his own fingerprint as well as he shared in compositing music specialised for music therapy, has many music works with Arab and international composers, his last composition is called Hope which he meant to engage the oriental music with the classical music which was presented by the Lebanese Oriental Orchestra
We had to meet with maestro Samer Hatoum in order to know more details about his work and life as he told his birth and beginning.
I was born in Beirut, started my music studies in Alexandria in Egypt then I continued my music studies in Beirut where I played with the most popular composer (Ihsan Al Mounzer) until I left Lebanon to Europe which was a new beginning in the music world.
Studied music composition in Ireland and orchestra conducting in Budapest and London to open my horizon in orchestra conducting and my skills in orchestration by planting the oriental spirit in the symphonic scoring in Europe. My launch in music studies was an internal power aiming to renew myself in music and composition.
The first step maestro Hatoum did was to support the new composers to explore their compositions to the world which started in Budapest to reach a philharmonic orchestra in Romania and added:
I had music works with many Arab music makers and worked with composers from Canada, the United States of America, Australia, Germany, Taiwan & Italy in supervising the scores and orchestration and I recorded my music in Almounzer Super Sound which was my first recording achievement in the music creative world and I continued this trip in Europe then he continued:
Music is life and the oasis which moves among us with different shapes as initially the sound. Melodies are the connection among all the creatures on the earth as it is the language of this wonderful universe to mix with the nature to produce it’s real taste.
I consider the musicians’ rights in Europe where I’m present now. My return to Beirut is the beginning; I left it physically but still attached mentally and spiritually. I recorded my first album in Beirut although I have good opportunities to record in Europe and the United States at that time.
Music to maestro Hatoum is a sea which must be diving in all it’s details and not only melodies. I’m still at the beginning of my trip in the sea of music, the trust of composers and orchestra which I direct attract me to work.
The most important experience to me was composing music which worked for the music therapy as I had a collaboration with Dr.Hamda Farhat in this regard which is a specialist in music therapy with PHD degree. Dr. Farhat used my music which caused a remarkable shift through her patients.
Coming to his last achievements, maestro Hatoum was invited by the Lebanese Oriental Orchestra to Abo Khater theatre in Beirut directed and conducted by maestro Andre Hajj and the singer Carla Ramia with the presence of the Lebanese composer Ihsan Al Mounzer and for his, and about his involvement, maestro Hatoum said:
My involvement in this concert was excellent, the program which I presented included music for the most well known composers as Muhammad Abdel Wahab, Farid Al Atrash, Baligh Hamdi with a full composition for me called HOPE, a classical style engaged with oriental mood. I’m very happy with the invitation and the positive outcome, we mean to deliver a message to the audience and present the Arabic music in a European style and I wish to present a candle to illuminate Lebanon and this was the corner stone to deliver the Lebanese music to where we aim to reach.