Abu Dhabi, April 27: As part of its cultural program the Al Ain Centre for Music in the World of Islam, which was established less than a year ago by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), is hosting a workshop held by violinist, distinguished researcher and music academic Dr. Nidaa Abu Mrad.
The artist, best known for his support of heritage and culture, will hold his workshop on Thursday April 29 at the Emirates University in Al Ain. It will be followed by two concerts, one on Friday night (April 30) at Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain, the other on Saturday evening at the Abu Dhabi Theatre.
The Al Ain Centre for Music in the World of Islam will be organising further activities in the forthcoming months. It will play host to some of the most well-known musicians and researchers in the field of musical heritage in the Arab and Muslim World.
Last March the Centre played host to the Turkish ney (a reed-made flute) player, Kudsi Erguner. This attracted a large audience, as he was singing Sufi poems outlining a devotion to the past and the revival of the use of the beautiful language associated with this type of poetry.
ADACH announced the launch of the Al Ain Centre for Music in the World of Islam last October. As a part of the launch an international conference was organised entitled, “Why Safeguard our Musical Heritage for the Future?” This formed a large part of ADACH’s strategy plan for 2008-2012.
The Al Ain Centre for Music in the World of Islam played host to a number of musical groups from Albania, Indonesia and Nigeria. This enabled it to offer a variety of distinctive events as part of its launch celebrations.
The musical acts included an Andalusia evening performed by the singer and oud (lute) player, Waed bou Hassoun. Her performance revived the love poetry of the famous Ibn Zaydoon and Wallada. There were also performances of a flamenco concert by Curro Pinana, inspired by the Muslim Sufi poet and philosopher Ibn al-Arabi, as well as an Arab-Spanish duet of sung love poetry.
The Centre was established as a result of the efforts of ADACH to help reach a better level of understanding and improve the tastes of the UAE and the Muslim and Arab cultures at both local and global levels.
The establishment of the Centre is part of a series of important cultural projects initiated by ADACH in the city of Al Ain. These projects underscore the necessity of achieving a balance between the preservation of culture and our deeply-rooted heritage, and the need to keep up with the modern rapid pace of development. This is thought to be one of the major challenges in the region.
The Al Ain Centre for Music in the World of Islam aims to undertake, encourage and sponsor research in the field of music and ethno-musicology. This is a major area of focus within the Centre, and they aim to schedule events and activities relating to these fields of competence. They also work to document, collect and archive music and instruments relating to the subject matter of the Centre, as well as to disseminate knowledge about the research done and information gathered in this arena. An important part of the work of the Centre is the development of significant and effective outreach programs that aim to propagate understanding and increase the appreciation of music amongst the community and the world at large.
April 2010 Program:
The Arabic Art Music Tradition of the Middle East: Workshop and Concerts
Waṣalāt: Paths in the Arabic Art Music Tradition of the Middle East by the Classical Arabic Music Ensemble – Antonine University (Lebanon): Nidaa Abou Mrad, direction and violin; Cheikh Salah Yammout, voice; Mustafa Said, ‘ūd; Ghassan Sahhab, qānūn. Vocal and instrumental performance of three waṣla-s, each cantered on a mode-maqām and made up of traditional compositions, notably from the Abbassid era and from the Nahda (Arab cultural Renaissance), in alternation with cantillatory improvisations both vocal (on classical Arabic poems) and instrumental (taqsīm), in accordance with the creative norms of the tradition.
Introduction to the Arabic Art Music Tradition of the Middle East:
Nidaa Abou Mrad will present the system and forms of this tradition in a threefold approach encompassing history, aesthetics, and analytical musicology. In collaboration with Mustafa Said, he will also lead a workshop introducing participants to this tradition by means of vocal training in a basic repertoire that allows understanding of the modes and the fundamental rhythmic modules. This workshop will be open to all who wish to learn this music tradition. Performance coaching in Arabic song, Arabic violin,‘oūd, qānūn, and nāy will also be open to musicians already introduced to the tradition. Working languages: Arabic, English, and French.
Nidaa Abou Mrad: Professor in the general musicology of traditions, director of the Higher Institute of Music at Antonine University (Lebanon), and musician (improvising violinist and composer) specializing in the Arabic art music tradition of the Middle East, he is the author of numerous musicological publications and Editor-in-Chief of the Revue des Traditions Musicales des Mondes Arabe et Méditerranéen. He has recorded eighteen CDs and has given concerts in many international music festivals on four continents, often leading the Classical Arabic Music Ensemble.
Cheikh Salah Yammout: Recognized as the principal Qur’anic and hymnodic cantillator of Lebanon, he has recorded the complete Qur’an as well as a large number of para-religious pieces at Radio Liban since the 1970s. He also appears on two CDs and holds several international honors.
Mustafa Said: A young Egyptian ‘ūd player, singer, and composer specializing in the Arabic art music tradition of the Middle East, he leads Ensemble Asîl and teaches ‘ūd and the art of improvisation in the Higher Institute of Music at Antonine University (Lebanon). With six CDs to his credit, he has given concerts in many international music festivals.
Ghassan Sahhab: A young Lebanese qānūn player specializing in the Arabic art music tradition of the Middle East, he is a member of the Classical Arabic Music Ensemble and Ensemble Asîl, and also teaches qānūn in the Higher Institute of Music at Antonine University (Lebanon). With five CDs to his credit, he has given concerts in many international music festivals.
—-Agencies