Rima Khcheich, one of the talented Lebanese singers of the uprising generation, is well renowned for having given its rebirth to the Andalusian form Muwashah, as well as to the traditional Arabic repertoire of the 19th and 20th Century that she both teaches and explores. Rima started her singing career at the age of eight in the talents program “Layali Lubnan” and at the same time she joined the Beirut Oriental Troup for Arabic Music, conducted by Selim Sahhab. She participated as a soloist in all the Band’s concerts in Lebanon, Europe and the Arab countries singing the most difficult repertoire of Arabic vocal music. A graduate of the Lebanese American University in Beirut and the National Conservatory of Music where she taught for twelve years, Rima has performed live throughout the Middle East, Europe and the USA specializing in Arabic traditional vocal repertoires.
Rima is invited on a yearly basis to Massachusetts, USA where she teaches voice and classical Arabic singing at" Mount Holyoke University" under the framework of the "Arabic Music Retreat" program directed by musician and composer Simon Shaheen and she is teaching Arabic music classes at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese American University (LAU).
In 2001, Rima released her first album “Orient Express” that was a live recording in which she collaborated with Dutch and Iraqi Musicians. They toured together and performed in Europe and the Middle East. In 2006, Rima released her solo Album “Yalalalli” that included new compositions along with old Muwashahat re-arranged in a modern style. In 2008, Rima released her third album “Falak” in which she collaborated with well-known Dutch jazz musicians. “Falak” included new compositions plus old songs of Sayyed Darwish and Wadieh El-Safi. In December 2010 Rima was invited to Dubai International Film Festival where she presented a tribute concert to the Lebanese singer “Sabah”. She selected songs of Sabah’s movies and the concert was presented again in Beirut, recorded and released in May 2012 under the name “ Min Sihr Ouyounak.” In Spring 2013, Rima released her latest album entitled “Hawa”. In this album, she presented a modern rendition for a selection of old traditional Muwashahat of Egyptian and Syrian origin. “Hawa” received the Arab Creativity Award of the year 2014.
