Students bring to life the spirit of Birzeit in a musical performance on campus

Students from the Arabic Music Program, in collaboration with students from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, organized a musical performance on March 15, 2018. The performance, led by music instructors Suhail Khoury and Hani As’ad, was attended by university students, faculty members, and staff.

Khoury noted that the performance was a practical test to train and evaluate students, saying, “The live performance allows students to hone their skills, solicit feedback on their performance, improve their confidence in front of an audience, and develop chemistry between the members.”

Dean of the Faculty of Arts Dr. Majdi Al-Malki said that the program aims to create a state of cultural appreciation in Palestine and will help to develop artistic and performance tastes in music. “At the university, the program will expand upon the already-existing cultural state, and in the future, integrate completely with the various art activities on the campus.”

As’ad, who teaches Rhythm and Group Playing, said that the program is a great development in music academics, “It [the program] was designed to amalgamate performance-based music training with the theoretical knowledge required to attain a BA degree in music.”

“The students,” As’ad added, “are all advanced music performers who have the experience and the knowledge required to learn advanced skills and techniques. Some of them are well-known music instructors and famed artists who came here to bolster their skills and broaden their horizons.”

Jabir Jubran, an instructor in the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music and a 2nd-year student in the program, said that the breaking down of barriers between student and teacher makes learning an interactive experience, in which student and instructor, and students themselves, benefit each other.

“I am able to finally pursue my dream of getting a degree in music, something that has been on my mind ever since I was a little kid. I’m making this dream a reality with the help of amazing classmates and skilled, erudite instructors, who are artists themselves. They know music by heart and soul,” Jubran said.