Roots and Future Conference:
The Arab Legacy in Spanish Music
On 21–22 November, the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid launched the new Chair of Arab Studies in collaboration with Qatar Foundation, aiming to encourage cultural and musical exchange between the Arab world and Spain.
During the two-day event, titled Harmonies Across Time: The Arab Influence on Spanish Music, Mustafa Said took part in several activities. He led an open workshop called “Natural Intervals, and Maqam as a Mathematical Linguistic Phenomenon”, introducing participants to writing for Arabic instruments and exploring Arabic modal systems, together with qanun player Taoufik Mirkhan and ensemble.
Mustafa also gave a lecture titled “Resonances of Al-Andalus: Modes, Maqamat, and the Melodic Threads in Spanish Music”, where he discussed the musical links between Arab heritage and Spanish traditions.
He then joined a panel discussion called “Maqam as a Living Tradition: Education, Transmission, and the Path Ahead”, alongside Dr Salwa El-Shawan Castelo-Branco and Taoufik H. Mirkhan, moderated by Dr María Manuel Rijo Lopes da Cunha.
The event ended with a special concert titled “Eight Centuries: A Journey of the Maqam”, performed by the Doha Ensemble for Classical Maqam, featuring:
- Mustafa Said — Concept, Oud, and Voice
- Ibrahim Kadar— Ney
- Hani Al Khatib — Violin
- Ahmed Al-Karawi — Oud and Voice
- Taoufik Mirkhan — Qanun
