The launch event was attended by Dr. Ali bin Tamim, President of ALC, and Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Acting Executive Director of ALC, as well as media representatives and book enthusiasts.
“ALC continues to advance the Arabic language and enrich the Arabic library with original titles in an effort to encourage creativity and support authors. The music book series we have launched is a way to shed new light on music and singing in the region. For the first time, the series features biographies of musical pioneers in the UAE, in addition to documenting traditional performing arts and exploring new perspectives on Arabic singing from experts,” said Al Tunaiji.
The series includes two books from the “Pioneers Among Us” initiative, where poet and writer Ibrahim Al-Hashemi documents the life of Eid Al-Faraj, singer, composer and poet. The first biography of its kind for this artist, it recounts Al-Faraj’s journey from birth to childhood, education and the different stages of his career to the present day, illustrated by a collection of photographs.
In the second book, Ibrahim Jumaa: The Etheric Melody of the Sea, Al-Hashemi presents the life and achievements of a pioneer of music and composition in the United Arab Emirates, and documents the songs and poems he written, composed and performed at festivals and special occasions. The publication features photographs from Jumaa’s life, highlighting the awards and accolades he received during his career.
“This collection of music books complements the series of books we previously launched at ALC. These works, in which Emirati authors document the lives and professional careers of UAE musical pioneers, will greatly enrich the regional cultural scene and foster further research into the musical heritage of the UAE. The series offers a new perspective on Arab musical heritage, which is sure to spark new dialogue around it,” said Al Tunaiji.
The collection includes Dr. Hamad bin Sarai Wahhabi’s book Art: Kinetic and Verbal Performance from Emirati Folklore, which consists of field research documenting a folk performance art form closely linked to the agricultural environment, through interviews with people who practice this art form.
The collection also includes The Medium in the Rules and Theories of Arabic Music, a theoretical and applied study of the rules and theories of Arabic music, written by Egyptian author Ahmed Youssef Al-Taweel, professor and vice-dean of the Institute superior of Arabic music. at the Academy of Arts.
The History of Music in Arabia and Andalusia, written by Julian Ribera and translated by Hussein Hassan, is being reprinted. The book highlights the role of Andalusian Muslims in preserving music and passing it on to future generations, where its legacy has inspired many European musicians.
