A musical performance at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion during Expo 2010
Saudi traditional music is quite limited. However, the migratory lifestyle of the bedouin militated against carrying excess baggage, including musical instruments. Simple rhythms, with the beat counted by clapping or striking together everyday implements formed the basis of the music. Instruments like the double-reeded ney or the stringed rababa were sometimes used, after being obtained in cosmopolitan cities such as Jeddah.
However, music is considered "sinful" or "haram" by Wahhabi Muslims, including Salah Al Budair who is the Imam of the Grand mosque in Medina. This is based in part on certain Ahadith which speak negatively of non-percussion musical instruments and the idea that music and art are distractions from God. Some Muslims also believe it is sinful for songs to make any mention of women and for women to be involved in the composition of music.[1] Particularly in the early days of the current Saudi state, religious authorities were quick to repress music other than the rhythmic percussion that still dominates contemporary Saudi music.
Ibtisam Lutfi and Etab were among the first two female singers from Saudi Arabia,[2] with 1979 being a pivotal year for the emergence of female musicianship in the kingdom.[3]
Omar Basaad was chosen as the best Saudi DJ and Electronic Dance Music Producer in 2012, by Saudi Gazette.[4] He became the first official Saudi EDM (Electronic Dance Music) producer to represent Saudi Arabia internationally.[5][6][7]
Samri is a popular traditional music and dance style in Najd Region.
In 2023, the first Saudi Idol competition was held in Riyadh, with judges Aseel Abu Bakr, Ahlam, Assala, and Maged al Mohandes. 29-year-old Hams Fekri, a singer from Jeddah, won the title.[8]
Ardah, a type of folkloricdance, is the most popular dance in Saudi Arabia, and also the national dance.[9] It is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.[10]
Najdi ardah is the most common variant of ardah in Saudi Arabia. It is also the most practiced and highly televised male folkloric dance in the entire country. The Saudi government changed its name to 'Saudi ardah' in the 21st century. However, there are numerous variations of ardah distinct from Najdi ardah throughout the country, notably in the regions of Najran, Asir and Jizan.[11]
Pursuant to the order of the Saudi Crown Prince, the first music teaching institute was established in Riyadh in 2019. The Institute was launched by the Egyptian violinist Mahmoud Sorour.[12] Sorour plans to train around 50 violinists to enable them to perform in Jeddah opera house that is planned to be launched in 2022.[13]
Urkevich, Lisa (2015). Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. New York: Routledge
Badley, Bill (2000). "Sounds of the Arabian Peninsula". In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 351–354. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN1-85828-636-0
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council, is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The council's main headquarters is located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The Charter of the GCC was signed on 25 May 1981, formally establishing the institution.
Kuwait is well known in the region for its exploration of many different and new forms of music and dance. Kuwait is the birthplace of various popular musical genres such as sawt. Kuwait is widely considered the centre of traditional music in the GCC region.
The Eastern Province, also known as the Eastern Region, is the easternmost of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the nation's largest province by area and the third most populous after the Riyadh and Mecca provinces. In 2017, the population was 4,900,325. Of these, 3,140,362 were Saudi citizens and 1,759,963 were foreign nationals The province accounts for 15.05% of the entire population of Saudi Arabia and is named for its geographical location relative to the rest of the kingdom.
The music of Qatar is based on sea folk poetry, song and dance. The historical importance of pearl fishing have deeply resonated within the region's artistic expression, manifesting in melodies, tunes, and dances that reflect the enduring bond between humanity and the sea. Traditional dances in Doha are performed on Friday afternoons; one such dance is the Ardah, a stylized martial dance performed by two rows of dancers who are accompanied by an array of percussion instruments, including al-ras, mirwas and cymbals with small drums. Other folk instruments include the oud and rebaba, both string instruments, as well as the ney and sirttai, which are types of flutes.
Sawt is a kind of popular music found in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The Arab states of the Persian Gulf or the Arab Gulf states refers to a group of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen is bound to the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, based on history and culture.
Afro-Arabs, African Arabs, or Black Arabs are Arabs who have predominantly or total Sub-Saharan African ancestry. These include primarily minority groups in the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. The term may also refer to various Arab groups in certain African regions.
Eastern Arabia, is a region stretched from Basra to Khasab along the Persian Gulf coast and included parts of modern-day Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The entire coastal strip of Eastern Arabia was known as "Bahrain" for a millennium.
Banu Yam is an Arabian tribe that belongs to the Qahtanite branch of Arabian tribes, specifically the group known as Banu Hamdan, and are, therefore, native to southwestern Arabia.
Koreans in the Arab world used to form a major part of the worldwide Korean diaspora. Koreans started coming to the Arab world in large numbers in early 1970s as migrant labourers; between 1975 and 1985, 1.1 million Koreans came for work, which made it the third-most popular destination for Korean emigrants. Eventually, most returned home or moved on to other countries, and as of 2014, the South Korean government's own figures showed over 24 thousand of their nationals living in the region. However, South Korean nationals are present in all of the region's countries, and North Korean workers also have a growing presence in several of them.
Ardah is a type of folkloric group dance in the Arabian Peninsula, especially Saudi Arabia. It is also performed in other countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be wielding a sword or cane, and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.
The habbān is a type of bagpipe used in the coastal regions of the Persian Gulf. The term ḥabbān (هبان) is one of several Arabic terms for the bagpipes. The term is drawn from Hanbān (هنبان), the Persian word for "bag.". In Gulf states the term habban refers to the traditional Holi bagpipe. The habbān is also called the jirbah (جربة). It is similar to the Ney-anbān and jirba.
The Peninsula Shield Force is the military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is intended to deter, and respond to military aggression against any of the GCC member countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSC is a hotel management company in the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans and Turkey. It has a portfolio of over 100 properties in 26 cities and operates six sub brands which include Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro Hotels by Rotana, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana, Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana, Edge by Rotana and The Residences by Rotana.
Peninsular Arabic are the varieties of Arabic spoken throughout the Arabian Peninsula. This includes the countries of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Southern Iran, Southern Iraq and Jordan.
Omar Basaad is a Saudi Arabian, record producer, and record label owner and A DJ.
Lisa Urkevich is a specialist in the music and heritage of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the greater Arabian Peninsula. She has undertaken extensive additional scholarship on Northern European Renaissance music, and is currently the director of a music and research center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She is the former professor of musicology and ethnomusicology, and founding division head (dean) of the arts and humanities and chair of the music and drama department at the American University of Kuwait (2004-2023). Previously, she was a full-time professor at Boston University. Since 2017 she has been the general editor of Symposium: Journal of the College Music Society, the largest consortium of college, conservatory, university, and independent musicians and scholars. Urkevich is a two-time Senior Fulbright Scholar, the recipient of the 2015 University of Maryland Alumna of the Year Award, a Harvard University Fellow, and the author of numerous publications including the "pioneering work," Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.
Mezmar or mizmar is a traditional group performance and stick song-dance that is performed by in the Hejaz region in western Saudi Arabia for festive occasions such as wedding and national events. Almezmar is performed by about 15–100 practitioners in festive occasions such as wedding and national events, they twirl long sticks, beat drums and clap to songs that can pertain to a variety of topics such as heroism, praise, chivalry, love and generosity. In the past, the ritual was associated with battle or competition. It closely resembles the tahtib dance practiced in Egypt and Sudan.
Khobayti, also spelled Khubaiti, is an Arabian style of music that implements Khaliji rhythms. Khobayti originates from Hejaz, where it was performed during zār rituals. Frame drums are a prominent aspect of khobayti. In 21st century Saudi popular music, khobayti is the most prevalent polyrhythm and it was featured in Saudi Arabia's exhibit at Expo 2020 in Dubai.
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