JEDDAH: A festival in Jeddah’s historic district will celebrate Saudi musical heritage using light and laser instruments.
The Tariq Abdulhakim Center is hosting the event to commemorate the inauguration of new engagement rooms at its museum dedicated to Saudi composer and musician Tariq Abdulhakim, who died in 2012.
It will be held from March 7-8 in Jeddah’s old town of Al-Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Events run from 6-10 p.m. on both days.
The festival will include family entertainment, live music, carnival games and a range of activities for all ages.
A variety of Saudi musicians will perform at the festival in genres spanning orchestral and folk music. The museum’s new rooftop terrace cafe will host the performances.
Ibrahim Al-Sanousi, acting CEO of the Museums Commission, told Arab News: “The Tariq Abdulhakim Center’s new interactive engagement area is centered around the world’s first laser qanoon (Arab zither). The qanoon, which is a plucked trapezoidal musical zither, is a centuries-old instrument that has woven beautiful Arab melodies over time.
“The enduring legacy of this instrument now finds new life in the Tariq Abdulhakim museum. Beams of light replace the physical strings, and when the beams are interrupted by the player’s hands, the instrument produces beautiful, innovative Arab sounds.”
Al-Sanousi added: “Laser harps, based on the western harp, were developed in the late 1970s but have only appeared in some museums more recently. Rather than reproduce a foreign instrument, the Tariq Abdulhakim Center, which is dedicated to safeguarding regional heritage, developed the new laser qanoon in respect of Saudi and Arab culture.”
By inaugurating the new musical area and launching the world’s first laser qanoon, the center “embodies its mission of bridging heritage with the future,” the CEO said.
He added: “The center safeguards Saudi (and Arab) rich musical heritage, while fostering new musical practices that speak to the new generations.”
On Friday, a parade will journey through Al-Balad, concluding with a concert. The event is free for adults and children.
Last year, the Museums Commission, through the Ministry of Culture, launched the center to preserve and celebrate the Kingdom’s rich musical and intangible cultural heritage.
During his life, Tariq Abdulhakim played a crucial role in shaping the Kingdom’s musical identity, including founding the Saudi military band during his time in service.
