Aufgang Istiklaliya 2013

Francesco Tristano and Rami Khalifé (son of Lebanese oud master Marcel Khalifé and brother of pianist/percussionist Bachar Khalifé) began playing together as piano students at the Juilliard School of Music in New York during the early 2000s. Along with Aymeric Westrich, Aufgang made their debut as a trio in 2005, performing at the Sónar festival in Barcelona. Khalifé appeared on Tristano's acclaimed 2007 full-length Not for Piano, which combined techno, classical, and jazz influences. Aufgang, the trio's self-titled debut, was released by InFiné in 2009, with the Air on Fire EP following in 2010. Second album Istiklaliya appeared in 2013, pushing the band's sound in a more accessible, club-influenced direction than their challenging debut. Tristano left the group in 2014, and the remaining duo signed to Blue Note for the release of 2016's Turbulences, Aufgang's vocal-heavy third full-length. The pair returned in 2021 with Broad Ways, a further fusion of Arabic and European cultures.

Aufgang Istiklaliya 2013

In 2013, Khalifé performed original music inspired by the Arab Spring called Requiem for Beirut at the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra and the MDR Leipzig Radio Choir.[10] In 2015, he performed the work at an outdoor concert at Martyrs' Square in Beirut.