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Local percussionist preserves the art of Arab instruments
By Huda Dabeet, Jordan News
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AMMAN - Awwad Awwad is a self-taught Jordanian percussionist who primarily plays the riq, the Arabic drum, and other western instruments. He is known nationally and internationally for his talents, and here is what he told Jordan News about his history and experience.اضافة اعلان
“My older brother is a percussionist, and I used to imitate him since I was a child. So the affinity for playing instruments was present in my family,” said Awwad.
Awwad holds a bachelor’s degree in applied English and is currently completing his master’s degree in music. “Since the start, I was passionate and immersed in playing oriental percussion instruments,” Awwad said and added, “I was interested in the music and the theory behind it.”
The percussionist is the musician who plays percussion instruments, which are instruments played by striking with the hand or a stick or by shaking. According to Awwad, percussion is the “backbone” or “heartbeat” of a musical ensemble, as it frequently collaborates with bass instruments.
Percussion is often used to highlight the rhythm of the music through organized beats in an organized timeframe.
“Music is made up of rhythm and melody, and the presence of the percussion is essential in every performance. When played, percussion instruments become the heartbeat of the orchestra,” the musician said.
The riq is a traditional instrument, wildly used in Arabic cultures. The Riq closely resembles a tambourine and is an essential instrument in various music genres. It is used in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, and Syria. It is also known as “mriq” in Libya.
This instrument features 10 pairs of small cymbals embedded in five slits on the wooden frame and is typically 20–25cm in diameter. The size of the instrument does not affect its function, as the dimensions are chosen to accommodate the player’s hand.
Awwad Awwad is a self-taught Jordanian percussionist who primarily plays the riq, the Arabic drum, and other western instruments. (Photos: Handout from Awwad Awwad)
The head can be made of different animal skins or other materials. It is commonly employed to accompany classical and traditional oriental music, but it is also found in folk music from the Middle East region.
However, Awwad shared that, while there are similarities in the shapes of the eastern and western instruments, they each serve different purposes.
“The shapes of eastern and western instruments are similar, yet each serves a distinct purpose,” Awwad said and added, “Western instruments have a different playing style from that of a percussion instrument.”
The musician also stated that there is a lack of experts in the Arab percussion instruments in Jordan, and no efforts are being made to encourage learning the tools. “There is a lack of awareness of the importance and culture that Arab percussion instruments present,” he added.
The musician has performed both locally and internationally. This year, he participated in Konya International Mystic Music Festival, accompanied by Jordanian artist Hind Hamed.
Locally, he has also participated in celebrations of the Kingdom’s centennial and the Jerash Festival.
He has performed with various singers such as the Jordanian singers Nidaa Sharara and Adham Nabulsi and the Lebanese singer Yara. Awwad has also performed alongside popular local bands and was a performer with his undergraduate choir at the University of Jordan; he also performed for a local media channel.
Awwad Awwad is a self-taught Jordanian percussionist who primarily plays the riq, the Arabic drum, and other western instruments. (Photos: Handout from Awwad Awwad)
“Practice creates miracles,” Awwad said, in regards to how he grew his skills. He shared that he worked very hard to develop his talent. He added that musicians must put in a lot of effort to develop their skills to deliver their music to the world.
In terms of genre and style, Awwad told Jordan News that he’s interested in the flamenco style, which is a genre of Spanish music based on music and dance. “Flamenco style is a different music style with its own percussion and instruments that I learned on my own,” he said.
Social media played a significant role in the artist’s development. “Social media is a tool that allows artists to share their music to the whole world, all at once,” he said. He also shared that social media has allowed him to keep up with music and many artists.
Thanks to social media, Awwad was able to learn various types of music, including Turkish, Spanish, and Latin.
Read more Trending news
“My older brother is a percussionist, and I used to imitate him since I was a child. So the affinity for playing instruments was present in my family,” said Awwad.
Awwad holds a bachelor’s degree in applied English and is currently completing his master’s degree in music. “Since the start, I was passionate and immersed in playing oriental percussion instruments,” Awwad said and added, “I was interested in the music and the theory behind it.”
The percussionist is the musician who plays percussion instruments, which are instruments played by striking with the hand or a stick or by shaking. According to Awwad, percussion is the “backbone” or “heartbeat” of a musical ensemble, as it frequently collaborates with bass instruments.
Percussion is often used to highlight the rhythm of the music through organized beats in an organized timeframe.
“Music is made up of rhythm and melody, and the presence of the percussion is essential in every performance. When played, percussion instruments become the heartbeat of the orchestra,” the musician said.
The riq is a traditional instrument, wildly used in Arabic cultures. The Riq closely resembles a tambourine and is an essential instrument in various music genres. It is used in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, and Syria. It is also known as “mriq” in Libya.
This instrument features 10 pairs of small cymbals embedded in five slits on the wooden frame and is typically 20–25cm in diameter. The size of the instrument does not affect its function, as the dimensions are chosen to accommodate the player’s hand.
Awwad Awwad is a self-taught Jordanian percussionist who primarily plays the riq, the Arabic drum, and other western instruments. (Photos: Handout from Awwad Awwad)
The head can be made of different animal skins or other materials. It is commonly employed to accompany classical and traditional oriental music, but it is also found in folk music from the Middle East region.
However, Awwad shared that, while there are similarities in the shapes of the eastern and western instruments, they each serve different purposes.
“The shapes of eastern and western instruments are similar, yet each serves a distinct purpose,” Awwad said and added, “Western instruments have a different playing style from that of a percussion instrument.”
The musician also stated that there is a lack of experts in the Arab percussion instruments in Jordan, and no efforts are being made to encourage learning the tools. “There is a lack of awareness of the importance and culture that Arab percussion instruments present,” he added.
The musician has performed both locally and internationally. This year, he participated in Konya International Mystic Music Festival, accompanied by Jordanian artist Hind Hamed.
Locally, he has also participated in celebrations of the Kingdom’s centennial and the Jerash Festival.
He has performed with various singers such as the Jordanian singers Nidaa Sharara and Adham Nabulsi and the Lebanese singer Yara. Awwad has also performed alongside popular local bands and was a performer with his undergraduate choir at the University of Jordan; he also performed for a local media channel.
Awwad Awwad is a self-taught Jordanian percussionist who primarily plays the riq, the Arabic drum, and other western instruments. (Photos: Handout from Awwad Awwad)
“Practice creates miracles,” Awwad said, in regards to how he grew his skills. He shared that he worked very hard to develop his talent. He added that musicians must put in a lot of effort to develop their skills to deliver their music to the world.
In terms of genre and style, Awwad told Jordan News that he’s interested in the flamenco style, which is a genre of Spanish music based on music and dance. “Flamenco style is a different music style with its own percussion and instruments that I learned on my own,” he said.
Social media played a significant role in the artist’s development. “Social media is a tool that allows artists to share their music to the whole world, all at once,” he said. He also shared that social media has allowed him to keep up with music and many artists.
Thanks to social media, Awwad was able to learn various types of music, including Turkish, Spanish, and Latin.
Read more Trending news
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