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The Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, which once stood as the country’s highest musical authority, is now but a shadow of its former self, a testament to its own downfall. Veteran professors, who were the pillars of this institution, are departing in droves, leaving behind empty classrooms and forsaken musical notes. The mismanagement by the current administration and the deterioration of relationships within the institution have led to a significant loss of staff, compromising the unity that was once the foundation of the Conservatory during the tenure of the late Bassam Saba.
Lebanon is dead. In a deafening silence, this “message country” has been torn apart, stabbed, mutilated and murdered by those who were meant to protect it. History’s pages will mercilessly record the names of those who betrayed this sacred land, auctioning it off for a mere thirty pieces of silver. This indelible stain cannot be washed away by any baptism. Today, it is the Lebanon of Henri Goraïeb, Assi Rahbani, Saïd Akl, among many other artists, that breathes its last. The Lebanse National Higher Conservatory of Music (LNHCM) mirrors this widespread collapse. The remnants of its past glory lie amidst ruins, and no amount of denial or sweeping dust over these ruins can change this bitter reality. The bitterness of the lesson to be learned is all the more poignant as it resonates too late, an echo of ignored warnings. Everything is falling apart, as every corner of this historic institution crumbles in mournful silence.
Negligence and Mismanagement
In the past, efforts to prevent the collapse of this educational hub were a dime a dozen, but today, the music community helplessly watches the gaping abyss that has opened beneath it, due to the lack of wise measures. Byzantine quarrels, once central to political stakes, now lose their meaning and utility. The Damocles’ sword, once dangling precariously, has cut the thread of hope. It has swept away Damocles along with the dreams and aspirations of many young musicians, sacrificed on the altar of negligence, mismanagement and oversized egos. Beyond sterile debates and endless controversies, the statistics speak for themselves. Listen to them! Between the academic years 2021-2022 and 2023-2024, the conservatory has seen a significant decrease in its overall staff, including employees, music teachers and musicians from the two national orchestras. According to a well-informed source, the total number of employees fell from 470 to 340, a substantial regression of 27.66%. Additionally, the category of teachers also experienced a contraction of 22.45%, with staff numbers falling from 294 to 228 over the same period.
Veteran Professors
The magnitude of these numbers should not be underestimated, especially since the aforementioned percentage corresponds to veteran professors, the very pillars of the LNHCM, who have decided to turn their backs on this institution to which they have devoted themselves heart and soul for decades. Once a symbol of the country’s cultural radiance, the national conservatory is now caught in the tumultuous currents of a direction perceived as rigid, authoritarian and even oppressive. An increasing number of teachers find themselves trapped within a suffocating hierarchy, ultimately leading to a sense of exasperation. The joyous scales that once echoed in the classrooms have given way to a heavy silence, where the sighs of resigning teachers blend with the sad notes of abandoned scores. Furthermore, it is evident that the current leadership is striving hard to conceal its academic failures and shortcomings, exacerbated by the massive departure of faculty members. How? By attempting to enhance the institution’s image through concerts, often of mediocre quality, but meticulously organized to impress political and religious dignitaries.
Unity of Ranks
It is regrettable to observe that in the midst of this turmoil, it is the conservatory that is paying the highest price. This same conservatory that, throughout the years of political, security and socio-economic instability, bravely stood against all trials. It especially resisted the whimsical winds of institutional decline, preserving, with unwavering determination, the unity of ranks between the teaching staff, administration and the Ministry of Culture. Today, unfortunately, the situation is markedly different. Due to the manifest authoritarianism of the leadership, key players in this institution seem to have decided to turn the page, leaving behind the remnants of an era when the conservatory’s credibility was substantial. Among them stands out Joseph Fakhry, the unsung worker, leaving the LNHCM after more than three decades of silent devotion. With his musical erudition, insight and mastered art of teaching and directing, Fakhry has proven to be one of the foundations on which the post-war conservatory was solidly built. A professor of piano, harmony, counterpoint, musical analysis, among others, and also the coordinator of music theory, he has not only contributed significantly to the promotion of solid musical knowledge but also played a crucial role in preserving musical values within the institution.
Shadow of Change
“The national conservatory has become a shadow of itself,” Fakhry laments to This is Beirut. According to him, the “authoritarian policy” adopted by the conservatory’s leadership, coupled with the “blatant contempt towards teachers,” has led to the disintegration of the country’s highest musical reference. “Today, teachers find themselves devoid of any voice within the LNHCM, and their rights are trampled upon. The years of struggle to secure these rights, pursued in collaboration with the Teachers’ League, presided over by Edy Dorlian, have fallen by the wayside. That being said, we will not rejoin the Conservatory as long as the current leadership remains in place,” he asserts. Fakhry regrets that social decay has reached the LNHCM, where not only teachers pay the price but also students. “It is dangerous to note that the administration asks available professors to assume the teaching of all academic subjects, even those for which they may not necessarily have the required qualifications,” he reveals. It is truly poignant to witness the gradual disintegration of the teaching body, once united with fervor by the late Bassam Saba under the current reign of its acting director, Hiba Kawas. While all hopes were placed in her, a sad reality sets in, eroding the cohesion that once animated this devoted community.
Nostalgia now permeates the atmosphere of the place, recalling the time when the collective spirit was driven by a common aspiration, today overshadowed by regressive change. Once upon a time, the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music bloomed.
