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Understanding Understanding Cue sheet Arab FOR STUDENTS Music imon Shaheen is a musician who performs and composes music that reflects traditional Arabic culture while embracing modern S jazz and classical styles of the Western world. Shaheen’s father was a professor of music and a master oud player. “Learning to play on the oud from my father was the most powerful influence in my musical life,” Shaheen recalls. He began playing the oud at age five, and studied violin at the Conservatory for Western Classical Music in Jerusalem. “When I held and played these instruments, they felt like an extension of my arms.” In 1982, Shaheen formed the Near Eastern Music Ensemble in New York and established a series of Arab music workshops and lectures for schools. Today, Shaheen also produces annual festivals and retreats to promote Arab arts. Shaheen has recorded several albums with his musical group, Qantara. The band, whose name means “arch” in Arabic, brings to life Shaheen’s fusion of Arab, jazz, Western classical, and Latin American music. “I want to create a world of music exceptionally satisfying to the ear and for the soul,” says Shaheen, “This is why I selected members for Qantara who are all virtuosos in their own musical forms, and whose expertise and knowledge can raise the music and the group’s performance to spectacular levels.” Oud – a pear-shaped stringed instrument that is the predecessor of the lute. Musical Instruments of the Arab World Much of the world’s scientific understanding of music comes from the Ancient Greeks (the word “music” comes from the Greek word mousiki, the science of composing melodies). But it was the book by Muslim philosopher Abü Nasr al-Farabi (872-951 BCE), Kitab al-Musiqa al-Kabir, that significantly expanded upon Ancient Greek theories by exploring the aesthetics of music and providing detailed information on musical instruments. As Europeans began to travel to new lands during the Middle Ages, Arab musical Resources: instruments and the writings of al-Farabi became known to the Western world. In fact, Arab culture is responsible for the introduction of practically the entire drum family to www.simonshaheen.com European music. Drums Stringed Instruments The tabla is a large The body of al-‘ud, also called drum held between the the oud, is shaped like a pear and Stephen A. Schwarzman legs or suspended by a has up to 12 strings. European Chairman cord over the shoulder. minstrels originally played It is played with both harp-like instruments until Michael M. Kaiser hands and produces Arabs brought the al-‘ud President different sounds when (Arabic for “wood”) to Darrell M. Ayers beaten near the edge or Europe, where it was Vice President, Education near the middle. The tabla adopted and renamed the was adopted by European armies for their lute. Cuesheets are funded in part through the support military bands, which had previously only of the U.S. Department of Education; Verizon Foundation; Estate of Joseph R. Applegate; The been served by trumpets and horns. Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the The Spanish word guitarra Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust; The bendir is a round, flat (guitar) was derived from the Citi Foundation; DC Commission on the Arts drum with wires stretched Arabic qitara. and Humanities; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Mr. Martin K. Alloy and Ms. across the inside, which Daris M. Clifton; the Harris Family Foundation; creates a sound similar Newman’s Own Foundation; the Clark Winchcole to a snare drum. The taar The qanoon is a large flat Foundation; Chevy Chase Bank; The Clark is similar to the bendir, instrument with between Charitable Foundation, and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts. but with jingling plates in 64 and 82 strings. A the rim, similar to a modern similar multi-stringed tambourine. instrument, as-santoor, is played with wooden The dumbek is a goblet-shaped sticks. The European Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, drum, similar to the African word kanon (canon) a program of the Kennedy Center djembe, played with both hands is derived from Education Department. while held under one arm. It qanoon. produces a diverse range of For more information about the sounds, from crisp (played near performing arts and arts education, visit the edge) to resonant (played in us at www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org the middle). Questions, comments? Write us at The naker is a The rababeh is a single-string [email protected]. pair of drums instrument with a square with rounded sound-box, played with © 2008, The John F. Kennedy Center bodies played a bow. The rababeh for the Performing Arts with wooden spread to Europe drumsticks. The larger (as the rebec), and The U.S. Department of Education supports European orchestral is considered a approximately one-third of the budget for the precursor of the Kennedy Center Education Department. The kettledrum, or timpani, is a direct contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily descendent of the naker. violin. represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government..
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