Arabesque: Music of the Arab World

In this series, Georges Collinet, host of NPR’s Afropop Worldwide, explores the rich history and culture of the music of the Arab World. Arabic musicians and scholars demonstrate the sounds of string, wind and percussion instruments that directly influenced the development of musical instruments common to the modern Western world. The importance of universal musical concepts, such as improvisation, ornamentation and audience participation are discussed in the context of the Arab World, as are the ideas of musical nationality and folk tradition in the face of modern cultural globalization. ARTSEDGE, the Kennedy Center’s arts education network, supports the creative use of technology to enhance teaching and learning in, through, and about the arts, offering free, standards-based teaching materials for use in and out of the classroom, media-rich interactive experiences, professional development resources, and guidelines for arts-based instruction and assessment. Visit ARTSEDGE at artsedge.kennedy-center.org.