Global Folk: Maqam Traditions | Jazz & Contemporary Music

Global Folk: Maqam Traditions

This program features a diverse repertoire of Arabic and Turkish music that includes selections of classical music as well as modern and contemporary styles. The students had the opportunity to dive into the world of maqam, which is the system of scales, modes, and improvisation in traditional Arabic and Turkish music, and explore how they could incorporate these concepts into their own jazz improvisations.

Nassem Alatrash is a Palestinian cellist, composer. Naseem’s tone was described as “a particularly lustrous tone” by Chicago Tribune. Naseem’s performances include a mix of improvisation and traditional melodies, with a focus on traditional Arabic music and jazz and contemporary classical music influence.