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Disclosed is a method and apparatus for querying stored multimedia data in a computer system, comprising receiving into an intermediate level a high-level concept from a user describing data to be retrieved, translating, in said interme diate level, said high-level concept into loW-level queries by using system pre-de? ned high-level concepts, transferring said loW-level queries to a low level comprising one or more search engines; said one or more search engines performing a query of the stored multimedia information using said loW-level queries. A matching algorithm for use With the invention is also disclosed.