JAVS Spring 2007

Although many in the Middle East consider the violin the more tradi tional instrument, artirudes are beginning to change. Violinisrs

a featured insrrument in every small ensemble, making it the most well-adapted foreign instrument of the group.

oldest distributor of Middle Eastern music in the U.S. Many titles avail able online, including all of the recorded examples. www.salaamband.com -Arabic music group led by violist Dena El-Saffar www.brianprunka.com -- Site for the Near East River ensemble, fea turing the author on viola f3 - uann~ Darling has b~m studying andplayingArabic musicfor th~ past fiv~y~ars with mtJStn- musicians Simon Shahun and Ba.ssam Saba. Sh~ has pn-Jorm~d with th~ N~ar East Music Ensanbk in N~ Yt1rk and Philadelphia. As w~IL as music of th~ Middk East, Darlingplays rock, jazz, compos~ for th~attr and dane~. and uach~ StringPiay clasus, hn own m~thod ofimprovisation for strings in N~ Yt1rk City. Discography Eumpks ofArabic viola playing: Hakki Obadia Hakki Obadia: Classical Music OfTh~ Middk East Global Village Music CD 808 Nidaa Abou Mrad, Musia~ tk Ia Nahda Edidons Byblos BL CD I000 N'KiaaAbou Mrad 77x An of rJx Maqtm1 on rJx Viola and r~ Violin (2) - Music masrer - mmcd-141 Eumpks ofArabic violin andArabic string uctio11: ami hawa, Masur ofArabic Violin Global Vtllage Music CD 824 Mohamed Abdd Wahab &Uy Dana Cairophon CXG CD 610 &mnpks qf Morrx:mn 1ndinlviolaplnyiny; Orchestre Fathi Orrbestrt Fnthi Fassifone CD FES 117 Omar Metoui AI .Ala AI-Andalusiyya Pneuma PN-150 Eumpk ofrt!bab playing: Upper Egypr Ensemble Egypt - a Musical Voyag~ HoUywood Music Center Sourresfor rt!cordings: www.rashid.com- Wide sdection, if you don'r see something on the websire, call them. www.aramusic.com

such as Nidaa Abou Mrad of Lebanon and Hakki Obadia of Iraq also play viola. The viola is making irs way into Middle Eastern orchestras as well. Rena El-Saffar, an Iraqi-American clas sically trained vio list, plays Arabic and Iraqi music on both the viola and the jo:uh in her

Amirali (lift) in Makn~s with Haj Houssain Toulali (cmttr), 1983. Uud with p~i.ssion.

group Salaam. In my own experience as violist playing in various Middle Eastern ensembles in New York City, I have always been met with support and encourage ment &om my colleagues and teach ers. With its well-suited sonority and traditions of string playing, any violist interested in world music should be sure to investigate the music of the Middle Ease. Informacion on the Arabic Music Retreat in Mr.Holyoke Massachusetts every August. Open to musicians of all levels. Also access to retreat mailing list, a newsgroup on Arabic music. www.maqam.com- All about the theory ofArabic music, informacion on instruments, and many links www.middleeastcamp.com -A Middle Eastern music camp for musicians of all levels every August in Mendocino, California www.rashid.com -The largest and To learn more about Middle Eastern Music online: www.simonshaheen.com -

In this part of the world, the viola has caught on like irs smaller sib ling only in Morocco. There, the viola has come into irs own as a traditional instrument in many styles of folk and classical music. In the orchestras of the Andalusian style (a form of classical Moroccan music), violas as well as violins are always present, usually one viola to every rwo violins. In the Melhoun style (a folk style based on poerry) , the viola is the main instrument along with the oud. The viola has also become the main traditional instrument in the popular Chaabi folk style, although increasingly the violin is used as the style has become more electronic. In most cases, playing position for the viola in the Middle East is similar to that used for the r~bab, The viola is held vertically on a player's lap, with string crossings accomplished by turning the instrument rather than moving the bow.

ClETY

OURNAL OF THE AMERICAN VIOLA 36