Naji Subhy Paul Irénée Hakim was born in Beirut, 31 October, 1955. He studied with J. Langlais and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris—classes of R. Boutry, J.-C. Henry, M. Bitsch, R. Falcinelli, J. Castérède and S. Nigg, where he was awarded seven first-prizes. He is a licentiate teacher in organ from the Trinity College of Music in London and won ten first-prizes at international organ and composition competitions. In 1991 he was awarded the Prix André Caplet from the Académie des Beaux-Arts. At first organist of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris from 1985 until 1993, he then became organist of l’Église de la Trinité, in succession to Olivier Messiaen, from 1993 until 2008. He is professor of musical analysis at the Conservatoire National de Région de Boulogne-Billancourt, and visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music, London. He is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications in Paris, member of the Consociatio Internationalis Musicae Sacrae in Rome and Doctor honoris causa of the Pontifical University Saint-Esprit of Kaslik, Lebanon.

In 2007, His Holiness the Pope Benediktus XVI awarded Naji Hakim The Augustae crucis insigne pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, for his excellent commitment and work for the benefit of the Church and the Holy Father.

His works include instrumental music (organ, flute, bassoon, horn, trumpet, harp, guitar, violin, piano), symphonic music (Les Noces de l’Agneau, Hymne de l’Univers, Ouverture Libanaise, Påskeblomst, four organ concertos, a violin concerto), and vocal music (oratorio Saul de Tarse, cantata Phèdre, two Magnificats, three masses and an Augsburger Symphonie). Naji Hakim has created several composition and concert projects in connection with The Danish Chamber Players, including: Concerto No 4 for organ and chamber ensemble, ‘Det strømmende og uudslukkelige…’ premiered by Naji Hakim and The Danish Chamber Players at Philharmonie Essen (2008); Festival Sommermusik på Fuglsang (2008) with a performance of Carl Nielsen’s Commotio for organ solo and Concerto No 4, for organ and chamber ensemble, ‘Det strømmende og uudslukkelige…’; Kammerkoncert No 1, ‘Solen skinner altid på Beirut’, commissioned by The Danish Chamber Players, world premiere Fuglsang (2009)—at this concert Naji Hakim gave a presentation of the work in Danish and accompanied the audience in singing the different Danish melodies; and Festival Sommermusik på Fuglsang (2010) Naji Hakim portrait concert with The Danish Chamber Players.