Apply now (last week!!) for Short Course on 'Music in Muslim Contexts: History and the Contemporary Scene'

In the Muslim tradition, Music has been called the pasture of the soul and the spring of the heart. It has also been called frivolous play and an act of vanity. Navigating between these polarised views, cultures of Muslims have produced rich and variegated traditions of music.

This one day course focuses on traditions that have rarely received the attention they deserve. Consisting of classroom sessions as well as an interactive workshop, the course will begin with a focus on historical issues related to music in various Muslim contexts. Several stances related to the acceptance/prohibition of music, functions of music and examples of selected genres and instruments will be discussed. We will then explore selected aspects of the contemporary music scene across Muslim contexts, paying particular attention to innovations in devotional musical practices.

During the afternoon session, participants will be led by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Zamana Foundation in an engaging and fun workshop where they will be able to experiment with a variety of instruments to create and perform an original musical composition inspired by the traditions introduced in the morning.