Egypt to launch 30th Arab Music Festival and Conference in November

Eslam Om, Monday 18 Oct 2021

Egypt will hold the 30th edition of the Arab Music Festival and Conference from 1 to 15 November at six theatres in three governorates; Cairo, Alexandria and Beheira, dedicating the event to late legendary musicians Abdo Dagher and Gamal Salama.

Running since 1932, the prestigious event will host 33 concerts by over 100 artists from 10 Arab countries: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Tunisia, Palestine, Joran and Oman.

Concerts will feature star singers like Egyptians Afaf Radi, Hany Shaker, Medhat Saleh, Ali El-Haggar, Mohamed El-Helw, Carmen Suleiman, Mai Farouk and Nadia Mostafa, Moroccan Samira Saed, Saudi Abadi Al-Johar, Lebanese Majida El-Roumi, Assi El-Hallani, Marwan Khoury and Wael Jassar, Syrian Assala Nasri, and Tunisian Saber Rebai, among other singers and troupes.

Six stages will host the events, the El-Gomhoreya and Arab Music Theatres as well as the Cairo Opera House Fountain and Small theatres in the capital and the Opera Damanhour in Beheira. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina will host the event for the first time in the Mediterranean city.

“The Fountain Theatre will be reconstructed for the important event,” said Cairo Opera House president Magdy Saber – who leads the Arab Music Festival – at a press conference held Sunday.

Many artists will be honoured during the 30^th Arab Music Festivals; including Egyptian lyricists Medhat El-Adl and Salah Mohamed Ali, Egyptian composers Mohamed Mostafa, Hisham Naiz and Mohamed Diaa, Saudi singer Abadi Al-Johar, Lebanese singer Marwan Khoury, Sudanese composer Mohamed El-Amin, Iraqi qanun instrumentalist First Qadri, Tunisian music researcher Dr. Mohamed El-Masmoudy, Egyptian music researcher Dr. Mohamed Omran, Egyptian nai instrumentalist Mahmoud Kamal, Egyptian calligrapher Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim and Egyptian troupe Sodasy Sharara.

Managed by Jihan Morsi, the event will see workshops and competitions in singing, song writing and instrumental performance, including categories for youngsters, kids and special needs talents.

With over 50 researchers from 15 Arab countries participating, the conference’s main theme is ‘Music instruments in Arab contemporary creativity’. Topics for discussion will centre on performing and writing music comparisons between the orchestral and Arab takht work, as well as critical reviews of the impact of Western instruments on Arab musical heritage, the role of folkloric instruments, and music education.

Acclaimed Egyptian composer Rageh Daoud was named the 30^th edition’s guest of honour.