Among all the universities in the Middle East and North Africa, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik was the first to undertake the initiative of founding within the Faculty of Letters the Institute of Musicology on October 31st, 1970. It is, perhaps, unnecessary to highlight how much Lebanon and the whole region was in need of this.

This Institute was established thanks to the efforts of Rev. Father Louis HAGE, Founder and Director of the Institute from 1970 until 1986, and Rev. Father Etienne SACRE, Rector of the University between 1968 and 1974.
Since 1986 the number of students has increased considerably. In order to educate them and respond to their aspirations while closely following the evolution of music as a science and an art in other countries the University added several sections then in 1996 took the decision to transform the Institute of Musicology into the Faculty of Music.

Since its foundation this Faculty has not wavered in its achievement of two essential and complementary goals:

As a research and documentation centre:

• To collect, preserve, publish and study sound and written documents related to Musicology and Ethnomusicology.

As a teaching center:

• To promote general and specialized studies in music and musicological culture sanctioned by academic titles recognized and certified by the Lebanese Government: Diploma, B.A. degree, M.A. degree, and Ph.D. in Music, Musicology, Music Education and Sacred Music.

The Faculty of Music is considerably active within the field of recording and the conservation of the Lebanese and Middle-Eastern music heritage. Significant collections of Lebanese folk and liturgical songs as well as Arabic classical music and works of some Lebanese composers can currently be consulted at the library and the record library of the Faculty.

Moreover, the Faculty of Music organizes annual concerts and contests, alone or in collaboration with other Lebanese or foreign institutions.
The research subjects chosen by the students are mainly related to aspects of music in Lebanon and the Middle East:

• Arabic music
• Folk singing
• Music history
• Music education
• Music criticism
• The sociology of music
• Nomenclature of singing and singers
• Syriac and Maronite singing
• Islamic singing
• Armenian singing
• Byzantine and Melkite singing

School of Music
A School of Music whose aim is to promote a general music culture and specialized music studies is affiliated to the Faculty of Music. This school provides the teaching of theoretical and practical courses: Music Theory, Dictation, Theory, Harmony, Counterpoint, Eastern and Western Instruments, Eastern and Western Singing, etc.
The program of studies is similar to that of an academy. The student, by the end of his/her studies and after having succeeded in the examinations obtains a diploma granted by the Faculty of Music and recognized by the Lebanese Government.

The Religious singing Choir of the Faculty of Music
Since the foundation of the College at Kaslik in 1950 this choir has continued in its activities in an uninterrupted fashion. The Faculty is concerned with diffusing the liturgical and Eastern heritage in an artistic way either through recordings or through annual programs of sacred songs on Lebanese Radios and Televisions, or finally, through public concerts in Lebanon and abroad. It comprised at first only male voices, however, since 1970 it has changed into a mixed choir.It currently numbers one hundred members aging from 18 to 40 years.

The Western Singing Choir of the Faculty of Music
Completely composed of the students of the Faculty of Music, this choir performs concerts of traditional Western music in Lebanon and abroad alone or in collaboration with other institutions.

The Arab Singing Choir of the Faculty of Music
The members of this choir are all students in the Arabic singing class of the Faculty of Music. They perform the traditional repertory of the Arab world as well as Lebanese traditional music. This choir performs many concerts in Lebanon and abroad, alone or in collaboration with other institutions. It has in its repertoire about fifteen CDs.