Riyadh: The music authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has decided to establish an Arabic institute to train musical talents in the country, local media from the gulf country reported on Sunday.
The institute, which will be named Bait Al-Oud, seeks to be an educational centre for musicians so that they can obtain the required training in playing traditional Arabic instruments, and learn about the role of musical instruments in the development of music culture in the region.
The Kingdom’s music authority aims to create an internationally recognized music centre and spread the importance and fame of Arabic music and its unique instruments, especially the Oud.
It will be run by elite musicians and aims to be a regional centre for Saudis of all ages to learn and develop the techniques of playing Arabic musical instruments.
The Oud has a history of more than 3000 years which makes it one of the oldest and most important musical instruments in Arab culture.
Besides the oud, there are many musical instruments such as the duff, the rebab and mizmar, which are used in many different social ceremonies in the kingdom. All of them are the main components of Saudi musical culture.
On December 22, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission launched the country’s first-ever music strategy, which is based on five key pillars— Education, Production, Performance, Delivery and Distribution, Advocacy and Licensing and Intellectual Property Rights.
