American University of Beirut

Arabic Oriental Music Studies (Voice) Certificate

​​​​​​​​​​​​Objective

This certificate program aims to provide to a diverse public (different ages and generations) with no previous musical knowledge, a basic appreciation and practice of Arabic and Oriental music in its various aspects: theory, history, voice,​ and instruments (wind, string, and percussion).​​​​

​Course Description

  • CMUS 103 – Theory and Practice of Voice I  

This course will introduce participants to western voice technique and apply it to the near eastern singing, vocalizing on the Arabic and Western maqams, starting with the common two maqams of Western and Eastern music traditions: Nahawand and Ajam and learning repertoire from our rich Near- Eastern vocal music heritage based on those two maqams, focusing also on the clear Arabic articulation. 

  • CMUS 104 – Theory and Practice of Voice II

A continuation of ORMUS 103, this course will keep focusing on the music theory and voice technique so special to the near eastern singing, vocalizing on the Arabic maqams based on Hijaz: Hijaz, Zanjaran, and Hijaz Kar, Shadd Araban and Shahnaz and learning repertoire from our rich Near-Eastern vocal music heritage based on those varied maqams and introducing the quarter tones. 

  • CMUS 201 – Voice for Oriental Singing: Theory and Practice I 

This course will keep focusing on the voice technique so special to the near eastern singing, vocalizing on the quarter tones and the two Arabic maqams: Kurd, Rast and the derived maqams from Rast, like: Suznak and Nairuz, plus learning repertoire from our rich Near- Eastern vocal music heritage based on those varied maqams. 

  • CMUS 202 – ​Voice for Oriental Singing: Theory and Practice II 

This course will keep working on the voice technique so special to the near eastern singing, focusing the vocalize on the quarter tones and on the following Arabic maqams: Bayati, Siga, Raht el Arwah and Siga Baladi and again learning repertoire from our rich Near-Eastern vocal music heritage based on those main Arabic maqams. ​​​​

​​​To submit your full registration, ​​send all filled required documents to cec@aub.edu.lb or pass by CEC Office. ​​​​​​

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