By Abdulaziz Faisal
CAIRO, April 19 (KUNA) -- Arab Music Institute in Egypt embraces rich artistic history of art reflecting old Arab music magical rhymes that date back to old times.
Chairman of the Institute Mahamoud Afifi said in remarks to KUNA on Sunday the institute offers free studies and training on various Arab and Western musical instruments, besides preparing artists specialized in Arab music.
The institute also works to improve skills of "mature artists," and offers them free tours inside its building which holds a large collection of unique historical musical instruments from various parts of the world, he added. Moreover, it composes old Arab music songs called "Mouwashahhat" in the form of musical notation.
Musical notation is any system used to visually represent aurally perceived music through use of written symbols, including ancient or modern musical symbols.
Egyptian Opera House President Dr. Enas Abdel-Dayem played a key role in enriching the cultural activities of the institute through organizing folkloric concerts, besides honoring of pioneer artists and poets.
The Arab Music Institute's founding idea came up in 1913 by a group of oriental music amateurs who were eager to improve this art and benefit from its advantages. In 1914, a group of artists held meetings at a small hall on Mohammad Ali Street, until the Egyptian government offered a land on Queen Nazil Street, currently called "Ramsees", located in the center of Cairo, Afifi mentioned.
The Institute consists of two stories including pavilions of 15 rooms, among them the royal relaxation chamber, the library, the musical instruments museum, as well as the old photographs chamber, he said.
The Institute was opened in 1929, with the attendance of King Fuad I, after it was temporarily opened in 1923, and it was renamed to Eastern Music Institute, after it was called Eastern Music Club, he added.
In 1932, the first conference of Arab music was held, gathering a large group of musicians from the Arab world, which set the main pillars of the Arab music, he said.
In 1933, the Institute was renamed to the Royal Institute for Arab Music as King Farouq who ruled Egypt by them ordered the government to consider the institute as a cultural authority of public interest with the role of advancing arts, he said.
The Arab Music Institute consists of several departments, namely the Arab Music Institute Theatre, Mohammad Abdulwahhab Museum, the musical library and the musical instruments museum.
Musician Abdulwahhab was a pioneer artist who dramatically improved the Arab music and launched the Arab music to the world. (end) aff.lb