Abdul Salam Kheir studied music at the Lebanese Conservatoire, specialising in Mouwashahat (classical Arab song) as a singer and oud player. He has travelled all over the world performing and promoting Arab music. He has performed with Columbian singer/songwriter Shakira, Lebanese star Sabah, Arabic singer/songwriter Julia Naidenko, Persian singer/songwriter Nazanine Mokhtarzadeh and German Egyptian singer Merit Ariane Stephanos.
He has also enjoyed a number of collaborations with musicians from different cultures, including the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin, renowned flamenco guitarist Juan Martin, Spanish singer Clara Sanabras, leading chamber choir Ex Cathedra, classical soprano Catherine Bott and leading British lutenist and theorbo player David Miller.
He has played Arabic Jazz at the Womad Festival and appears annually at the Lebanese Day Festival in London, performing to over 10,000 people.
Since its debut in 1999 at the Royal Festival Hall in Zemlinsky’s Es war Einmal, Apollo Voices has built an enviable reputation as one of London’s most versatile choirs. Performing in public concerts, radio and TV broadcasts, CD recordings, video game and film soundtracks, their repertoire has covered the gamut of composers and styles and taken them to the UK ‘s major concert halls, cathedrals and recording venues and even to Shanghai to perform as part of the live music accompaniment to Stanley Kubrick’s classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The singers are handpicked according to the repertoire and have often featured to great acclaim as step-out soloists in Apollo Voices projects.
Apollo Voices’ discography includes: Chausson’s Le Roi Arthus, with eleven of the smaller roles cast from within the choir; Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, recorded live at The Barbican, with Donald Runnicles; Craig Armstrong’s Memory Takes My Hand and a CD of Joseph Marx’s choral works for Chandos Records, again with soloists coming from the choir.
Soundtracks also play a valuable part in the choir’s output. This began when director Sir Kenneth Branagh invited Apollo Voices to be the choir for his film of The Magic Flute. This success led to working with composer Harry Gregson-Williams on his film scores for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Prince of Persia, Shrek Forever After, Life in a Day, Arthur Christmas and (together with Marc Streitenfeld) Prometheus.