Join this special class to learn the system of Arabic melodies and scales – known as maqam – from Sami Abu Shumays, a world-renowned master practitioner.

Maqam Mastery Made Simple, with Sami Abu Shumays 7pm-8:30pm, Wednesday March 20th 2024 Brooklyn School of Music - 126 St Felix St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Sami’s approach is hands-on and practical: through call-and-response imitation, students will learn the core melodic vocabulary of the maqam, the key to improvising and composing in Arabic music. Students will also listen to and analyze Arabic songs in the same maqam, to continue to build their experience.

The class is open to students of any level, from complete beginner to advanced practitioner: because Sami presents the music in its raw form, everyone gets something out of melodic repetition. Singers, dancers, and players of any instrument are welcome.

About Sami Abu Shumays: One of the leading Arab violinists in the U.S., Sami Abu Shumays is internationally known as a master of the maqam system. He is co-author of the acclaimed book Inside Arabic Music (Oxford University Press 2019), and his passion for teaching and oral tradition is also expressed through his YouTube series "Maqam Lessons," the website www.maqamlessons.com, and his contributions to www.maqamworld.com. Co-founder and director of the NYC-based Arabic music and dance ensemble Zikrayat (www.zikrayatmusic.com), Sami has also recently released his first solo album Circles, available on all streaming platforms (https://samiabushumays.hearnow.com/)

A second-generation Palestinian-American, Sami originally studied Western music before traveling to the Arab World to reconnect with his roots. He studied with Alfred Gamil in Cairo; Mohamed Qasas, Abdel-Basit Bakkar, and Abdel-Minaim Senkary in Aleppo; and Simon Shaheen and Yusuf Kassab in New York.