Nasser Makhoul a famous artist, “founder and leader of the Folkloric Touristic Lebanese group; a musician; a researcher; a writer; a great inventor. Nasser Makhoul was born in June 1944 in Lebanon. In 1962, he graduated from Al Sanayaa Beirut, as Graphic Designer . While his working in an engeneering company, he decided to still continue his endeavor in music. He studied music in Lebanese National Music Counsel.

Through this he first began to join in the dancing group of “joun” together with the famous artist “NASSRY SHAMS EL DEEN.” After his retirement from the Social Affair Counsel he began to play “bouzok end nay” (a kind of instrument) only as a hobby. But he never knew that out of this hobby, it serves as elicit to open the door for his prominence. And this serves as the starting point for his limelight in his career. He then formed the Folkloric Touristic Lebanese Group in 1968 under patronage of the National Counsel of Tourism in Lebanon.

 

For 40 years Nasser Makhoul and his Folkloric troop represents the finest Lebanese cultures and traditions in the world, through the live folkloric show.

Nasser Makhoul completed 10 specialized courses in the Lebanese Cultural Heritage both in Lebanon and abroad. In his book, “Dancing in Lebanon”, he includes an encyclopedia of the traditional string musical instruments used mainly in 32 different countries around the world. In addition, he has produces 3 CD’s of Traditional Lebanese Music that have been distributed in France and Belgium. He also received 20 certificates, 28 awards, 56 letter of appreciation from several intuition, festivals, exhibitions, and international conventions recognized worldwide. In year 2003, he was awarded for the prize of creativity by the Makhzoumy Institute. He is the owner of 130 visual and audio articles about the Lebanese heritage and Lebanon’s historical music.

Nasser Makhoul has invented:

The Bouzorgue bouzok with electronic keyboard
The Oudorgue oud with electronic keyboard
The Sara  string instrument
The Al-Aniss    string instrument
The Trio  bouzok with flute and clarinet
The Inayza electronic wind instrument
The Isson wind instrument
The Quadro  oud with bouzok, harmonica, and nay

Through his trips, in the past 40 years, around the world with his folkloric group. He has collected from archaeological centers and libraries, pictures, references, and manuscripts of historical musical instruments. In 2001, he began a reproduction project of historical musical instruments which he collected throughout his trips. He drew sketches, gathered wood, raw materials and leather in order to start the reproduction of these instruments in his workshop. Finally, in 16 October 2003 Nasser Makhoul celebrated the completion of his project and the instruments were displayed at the UNESCO palace in Beirut, under the patronage of the UNESCO regional office in Beirut, together with the Ministry of Culture and the Lebanese Heritage Center at the American University of Beirut, sponsored by “Fares Foundation”.

The exhibition includes 52 instruments dated from 3000 B.C. until the 17th century and will be exhibited all over the world.