Holly Meriweather / Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Johnny Hachem's Story: There's Always War in the Middle East

Johnny Hachem was born in 1981 during the Lebanese Civil War that affected his home country and lasted nine years. But even after that war ended, armed conflicts occurred frequently in Beirut. He recalls glass having to be extracted from his skull, frequent uprisings and continual gunfire. But despite the complicated politics of the region, his family encouraged his obvious musical talent.

Born into a Christian family of musicians, he was saved at the age of 12 and showed musical talent at an early age by imitating his mother and listening to his sister’s piano teacher, who was always looking for prodigies. He began playing piano in church at 12, where his parents served — his father as worship leader/Sunday School teacher and his mother as pianist.

Although he attended church regularly, musical studies were his priority, and since most of his teachers were atheists, they influenced his walk with the Lord and criticized everything Christian. He respected his teachers so much that they influenced his faith negatively. During that time of trying to discover himself, he was not really living for Christ and was more interested in his music and the compositions he created.

But at the age of 20, God intervened. Johnny began teaching private piano lessons to a Christian man’s grandchildren. When the man asked Johnny to join a Bible study in his home, he agreed, and in the years that followed, the man discipled him and completely changed his life.

With a renewed faith, a master’s degree in composition from the Lebanese Higher Conservatory of Music and a teaching diploma, he continued giving concerts. In 2009, he won his first international award, which opened a wide door for him, especially in Europe, to also be part of musicals, radio broadcasts, orchestras and writing piano music.

Once international recognition began, Johnny shared his music in festivals, competitions and venues all over Europe and the Middle East, including Poland, Romania, South Korea, The Netherlands, Japan, Qatar, Brazil and the Caribbean. One of those competitions was in Vienna, Austria: The International Composition Competition. Three hundred composers from around the world were whittled down to three in different categories. Johnny’s orchestral composition was chosen as one of the three pieces.

It was one of the highlights of his career. But personally and professionally, the dream prize was being asked to perform at Mozart’s home in Vienna.

For the next four years, Johnny shared his music all over the globe, and in 2013, he held a concert in Ukraine, a country in which he had previously performed. There, he met Tania, a Christian young lady who was involved in planting a church in her small town. She was moved by his music and introduced herself after the concert. They both felt an instant connection, and the two began a long-distance relationship.

In 2014, they were married in Beirut and decided to live in Ukraine, where they expanded their family to four with the birth of their son, Jason, and daughter, Katy. Johnny continued touring and serving on Regional Coordinator Charlie Costa’s team as social media director.

But when the war in Ukraine began, they started the process of getting out of the country. With Charlie’s assistance and help from BMA Global, they received visas and other documents allowing them citizenship in America and enrolled their children in school. Johnny, who speaks Lebanese, Ukrainian, French and Arabic, recently received his driver’s license and would love to visit churches and continue to do what he loves — sharing his talent and love for the Lord with others.

Johnny and Tanya Hachem are remarkable and talented servants of God, and this article barely touches on the horrors of being in a war-torn country. If you want to learn more about him or have him speak at your church, contact Johnny at hachemjohnny@hotmail.com.