Arabic music institute to be established in Saudi Arabia

Musicians play traditional music on April 10, 2016, during the Sharjah Heritage Days festival at the Heritage Area in the United Arab Emirate. (AFP/ File)
Short Url
Updated 09 January 2022
Follow

Arabic music institute to be established in Saudi Arabia

  • The commission aims to develop the institute to be a globally recognized center
  • In recent decades, the Kingdom has become home to talented composers, singers, and oud players

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission is establishing an institute to train the country’s musical talent.

Bait Al-Oud seeks to be a learning center for musicians so they can get the required training in playing traditional Arabic instruments and be educated about the instruments’ role in developing the region’s music culture.

The oud, which dates back more than 3,000 years, is one of the oldest and most important stringed instruments in the Arab world’s musical heritage and it has played a significant role through history.

The commission aims to develop the institute to be a globally recognized center, spread awareness about Arabic musical instruments, specifically the oud, and preserve the heritage of Arabic music.

“The oud is one of the most important musical stringed instruments,” oud player Hasan Iskandrani told Arab News. “It has been called the ‘sultan of instruments’ and is usually used by composers in shaping their melodies.”

Traditional Arabic musical instruments such as the oud, duf, rebab, and mizmar, which are used in many different celebrations in the Kingdom, have played a major role in establishing the musical culture of the country and its different forms of musical expression.

There are different types of oud - including Iraqi, Syrian, Egyptian and Turkish — and it is played in different styles across the region.

In recent decades, the Kingdom has become home to talented composers, singers, and oud players.

Many people in the Kingdom enjoy the work of Abadi Al-Jowhar, who is known as the “Octopus of the Oud.”

Alongside Al-Jowhar are Talal Salamah and Aseel Abu Bakr Saleem who, to this day, are influencing an emerging new generation of Saudi oud players.

The oud is distinctive for being fretless and pear-shaped. It is traditionally made from lightwood, has a short neck, and is normally built with 11 strings.

Being fretless, the oud is considered a versatile instrument that gives musicians the freedom to produce more fluid notes without having to retune.

And, unlike other string instruments which typically have one large hole in the center, the oud can have up to three holes, which gives it its distinctive and mesmerizing tune.

This makes it ideally suited for musicians to play the maqam, a system of melodic structure used in traditional Arabic music.

And, like other ancient musical instruments, the oud has its own fans and admirers who enjoy listening to its tunes.

But, had it not been for some great musical maestros, the legacy of the oud would have probably been lost. One cannot talk about the instrument without mentioning the legends who made it what it is today.

The oud has passed through prominent musicians, from the “King of Oud” Fared Al-Atrache, to Marcel Khalifeh in Lebanon, Munir Bashir and Naseer Shamma in Iraq, and Mohamed Al-Qasabgi in Egypt.

There are many beliefs about where the instrument originated from. It is believed that it evolved from the Persian barbat and was used during the Kassite period and Babylon in Mesopotamia, which later made its way to Europe through North Africa.

The institute, which will be run by an elite group of musicians, also aims to be a regional hub for Saudis of all ages to learn and develop techniques to play Arabic musical instruments.

“The Bait Al-Oud Institute will contribute to the development of the various types of stringed instruments. In addition, it will encourage the development of young music talent,” said Iskandrani. “Through the institute, it will be a forum for great music legends and new emerging musicians to share ideas, experiences, and culture for continuous development.”

The institute will also act as a platform for musicians to share and perform their musical projects with audiences who enjoy listening to oud performances.

 


Dhul Hijjah crescent moon sighted in Saudi Arabia

The crescent moon for the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, during which the annual Hajj pilgrimage takes place, has been sighted.
Updated 27 May 2025
Follow

Dhul Hijjah crescent moon sighted in Saudi Arabia

  • Day of Arafah to be observed on June 5
  • Eid Al-Adha will fall on June 6

RIYADH: The crescent moon for the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, during which the annual Hajj pilgrimage takes place, has been sighted, the Supreme Court announced on Tuesday.

This means that the pilgrimage — which all healthy and wealthy Muslims are required to undertake once in a lifetime — will start on June 4 with the pilgrims gathering in the Tent City of Mina. The day of Arafah will fall on June 5.

Muslims who are not performing the pilgrimage this year will celebrate Eid Al-Adha on June 6.

The Supreme Court urged Muslims across the Kingdom to look out for the crescent moon on Tuesday — Dhu Al-Qa’dah 29 — and report any sightings as soon as possible to their nearest court.

The Kingdom has announced a weeklong Eid holiday for both public and private sector workers.


Riyadh hosts first UK-Saudi Infrastructure Assembly meeting

Updated 27 May 2025
Follow

Riyadh hosts first UK-Saudi Infrastructure Assembly meeting

  • ‘We want to create a better system for doing business together,’ says lord mayor

RIYADH: The Lord Mayor of the City of London Alastair King launched the first meeting of the UK-Saudi Infrastructure Assembly in Riyadh on Tuesday to enhance financial and professional cooperation between the two countries.

The initiative is in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment, the UK’s Department for Business and Trade, and the City of London Corporation.

“We want to create a better system for doing business together. What we are launching is the UK-Saudi Infrastructure Assembly — a platform bringing together various parties involved in infrastructure investment,” King told Arab News ahead of the meeting.

The new strategic partnership aims at boosting collaboration between the UK’s financial and professional services sectors and Saudi Arabia’s sustainable infrastructure developers.

King said the assembly would help Saudi and UK counterparts to prepare for more joint projects in the Kingdom.

“That means that the costs will go down because they do not have to go through all the mobilization costs. The cost of capital can fall if you have got those companies absolutely ready,” he said.

“I think that is a very exciting example of the sort of collaboration that we have between the UK and Saudi Arabia.”

The assembly has brought together leading Saudi and UK firms, policymakers, and industry experts to shape the future of sustainable infrastructure investment.

It has focused on projects such as the new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company, led by the Public Investment Fund, and the Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sustainable Sports City, led by Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Privatization.

King highlighted other areas with potential for greater cooperation, including regulatory alignment, the insurance sector, and cultural exchange.

He said: “We see remarkable opportunities in sectors like asset management. It is something that we do very well. In the UK we have the second-largest investment management industry in the world.

“We have around £10.9 trillion ($14.7 trillion) under management in the UK. We’re looking for all kinds of collaboration with Saudi Arabia in that area.”

He added: “I think we would like to see more collaboration on the legal side as well. (Some) 80 percent of global contracts are under English law.”

King said that he would meet government ministers, regulators, family offices, and members of the insurance industry during his time in Riyadh.

When asked why he chose to visit the Kingdom at this time, King said: “It is a remarkable moment. We have got major developments in the UK that present a good set of opportunities for Saudi parties.”

King added that he would return to Riyadh in October for the Future Investment Initiative.


Security forces crack down on illegal Hajj entry

Updated 27 May 2025
Follow

Security forces crack down on illegal Hajj entry

  • Hajj Security Forces at Makkah’s entrances arrested six residents and 14 citizens for transporting 99 individuals without Hajj permits
  • Ministry of Interior urged full compliance with Hajj regulations to ensure pilgrim safety

MAKKAH: The Ministry of Interior is continuing its efforts to prevent people without Hajj permits from entering or staying in Makkah and the holy sites, warning that violators and facilitators will be arrested and penalized.

Hajj Security Forces at Makkah’s entrances arrested six residents and 14 citizens for transporting 99 individuals without Hajj permits, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

In a separate incident, the forces arrested two citizens for transporting 15 individuals in violation of Hajj regulations and attempting to bring them into Makkah.

Penalties include imprisonment, fines of up to SR100,000 ($26,600), the public naming of violators, deportation of residents and a 10-year re-entry ban after sentencing.

The ministry also called for the confiscation of vehicles used in unauthorized transportation and fines of up to SR20,000 for those attempting Hajj without a permit.

It urged full compliance with Hajj regulations to ensure pilgrim safety and reminded the public that entering Makkah between April 29 and June 10 without a permit is prohibited.


Saudi project clears 1,504 mines in Yemen 

Updated 27 May 2025
Follow

Saudi project clears 1,504 mines in Yemen 

  • Total included 1,459 unexploded ordnance, 40 anti-tank mines, four anti-personnel mines and one improvised explosive device
  • Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said that 495,855 mines have been cleared since the project began in 2018

RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 1,504 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week. 

The total included 1,459 unexploded ordnance, 40 anti-tank mines, four anti-personnel mines and one improvised explosive device, according to a recent report. 

Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said that 495,855 mines have been cleared since the project began in 2018.

The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly. 

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada. 

The project trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid.


KSrelief provides critical support across nations

Updated 27 May 2025
Follow

KSrelief provides critical support across nations

  • In Sudan, KSrelief distributed 2,037 food baskets in two days to displaced families in Blue Nile State, benefiting 9,671 people
  • In Afghanistan, the agency completed the Saudi Noor program to combat blindness in Herat and Balkh provinces

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief continues to make a significant global impact, providing critical assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

In Sudan, KSrelief distributed 2,037 food baskets in two days to displaced families in Blue Nile State, benefiting 9,671 people.

In Afghanistan, the agency completed the Saudi Noor program to combat blindness in Herat and Balkh provinces, in cooperation with Al-Basar International Foundation.

The volunteer medical team examined 6,894 patients and performed 711 surgeries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In Yemen, KSrelief is restoring and rehabilitating houses in Socotra governorate. The project, involving 15 volunteers, will continue until May 31.

The team visited homes and selected some for rehabilitation based on project criteria, according to the report.

In the Syrian Arab Republic, KSrelief concluded a week-long Saudi Amal project in Damascus with 86 medical volunteers.

The projects covered adult cardiac surgery, catheterization, orthopedic surgery, prosthetics and rehabilitation, pediatric surgery, pediatric urology and blindness prevention.

Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has carried out 3,435 projects worth more than $7.9 billion across 107 countries, in partnership with more than 317 organizations.