The Music Salon at the Music Affairs Center, in collaboration with the Qatari Authors Forum and under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture’s Culture Department, will hold a seminar on Arabic maqam on Thursday, September 24. The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on the first floor of the Ministry of Culture building.

Titled "The Arabic Maqam: Its Intervals, Ajnas and Branches," the seminar will be led by oud player Amir Ayad alongside the Center’s musical ensemble. The session aims to provide an in-depth exploration of the maqam, a fundamental element of Arabic music, through a blend of theoretical discussion and live performance.

The program will focus on eight specific maqamat: Rast, Nahawand, Ajam, Kurd, Bayati, Hijaz, Saba, and Sikah. Participants will learn about each maqam’s unique musical qualities and structural features while listening to representative live pieces performed by the ensemble.

In addition to examining the basic structure and branches of the maqam, the seminar will address variations in interpretation across different musical schools. It will also consider how contemporary shifts and globalization are influencing the current landscape of Arabic music.

This presentation is part of the ongoing Music Salon seminar series, which seeks to deepen understanding of Arabic musical traditions by integrating scholarly insights with live demonstrations, offering a space where musical practice and theory intersect.