Biography

Founded in 2015 by Pr. Salim Daccache s.j., the USJ Choir assembles today over seventy singers. It also encompasses the Ensemble Vocal Baroque de l’USJ, an advanced chamber choir specialized in early music. Under the baton of Yasmina Sabbah—one of the only Lebanese female conductors of western orchestral and choral music in the Middle East—the Choir has been proof that anyone can perform music to the highest possible standards.

In collaboration with members of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the Jeunesses Musicales du Liban Orchestra, the Choir has covered a large and varied repertoire ranging from Baroque to Contemporary music, the most notable being Mozart’s “Requiem”, Handel’s “Messiah”, Haydn’s “Nelson Mass”, J.S. Bach’s “St. John Passion”, Jenkins’ “The Armed Man”, to name a few.
The Choir held its debut concert with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra on May 31, 2019. The program consisted of two British masterpieces never before performed in Lebanon: Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “A Cotswold Romance” and Edward Elgar’s “From the Bavarian Highlands”.

Increasingly recognized for its nuanced musical interpretations, the Choir lays significant emphasis on musicality, meticulously shaded dynamics and articulation. As a result, in only a few years, the Choir has gained its place next to the leading choirs in the country.
It is in the Choir’s mission to introduce well-known masterpieces, as well as obscure works to the public. The USJ Choir aims to contribute in raising Lebanese choral music to international standards.