In the frame of the Europa Cantat festival that was organized in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from July 16 to 25, IFCM had the privilege to present an online educational session: Approaching choral music of the Levant, conducted by Shireen Abu-Khader (Jordan/Canada). There is a vast wealth of beautiful choral repertoire from Arab countries, but many choral directors feel daunted when approaching it. Through this session and the next World Symposium on Choral Music in Doha, Qatar, in 2023/24, IFCM hopes to assist the international choral community in discovering the fantastic world of Arab choral music.
The session introduced Arabic pronunciation, vocal style, and the emotional and cultural context through an exploration of three Arabic vocal pieces. Shireen presented examples of the many different genres, rhythms, scales, and musical styles within Arab vocal music that are appropriate for multiple voicings and levels of choral ensembles. As well, she provided historical and musical contexts for the works, giving participants a chance to delve deeply inside this music.
You can still view this session HERE.
Official magazine of the International Federation for Choral Music, the International Choral Magazine is published quarterly in the four official languages of IFCM: English, French, German and Spanish. It is distributed in more than 80 countries on the five continents and is the official voice of choral music around the world.
Read moreOur focus at the moment is to unite the choral calendars of international choral organisations. Meanwhile please consult the calendar of choral events published by the European Choral Association - Europa Cantat here.
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