RIYADH: Jeddah is to host a festival first for Saudi Arabia with a celebration of the Kingdom’s musical heritage.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Kingdom’s Melody event will take place between Sept. 28 and 30 at Jeddah Superdome.
The festival will highlight the history of tunes and their cultural connections to local communities, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The work of some of Saudi Arabia’s most influential composers will be marked at the event, including songs by Omar Kedder, Fawzi Mahsoun, Saleh Al-Shehri, Mohammed Shafiq, Tarek Abdul Hakim, Talal Bagher, and Dr. Abdul Rib Idris.
Tariq Abdul Hakim
Visitors will be taken on an educational journey through the nation’s musical past. The festival venue’s entrance hall will house murals depicting significant composers and artists, and an exhibition will feature key stories, melodies, and experiences that changed the music industry in the Kingdom.
A Send Peace event will give visitors the opportunity to comment on prominent musical compositions, and on the first night Saudi singer Mohammed Abdu will perform several songs composed by Kedder, and a tune by Idris.
The second night of the festival will see Abdul Majeed Abdullah sing songs by Mahsoun and Al-Shehri, while on the final night Ebadi Al-Jawhar will present compositions by Bagher, songstress Dalia Mubarak will give renditions of Hakim’s music, and Talal Salama will perform tunes composed by Shafiq.
The festival is one of many initiatives being held under the Vision 2030 banner aimed at improving the lifestyles and livability of Saudi individuals, families, and communities.
