Music of Oman

When traveling in a new country, tourists are always intrigued by the food, clothing, and language of the locals. But most often they are surprised by the local music. No matter where you travel, you will always be moved by the emotion of the songs, regardless of language barriers.

In Oman, musical performances are the perfect opportunity to enjoy the enchanting rhythms of Arabic music combined with the melody of Africa and the passion of Omanis.

After all, because of its location on the Arabian Peninsula, Oman has been influenced by various cultures from India, Portugal, Yemen, Iran, and even as far as Tanzania!

Music plays an important role in Oman and is an important part of all life events, such as a person's birth, marriage, and death. Unlike other Arab countries, all Omanis participate in music regardless of age or gender.

On national celebration days, each region and governorate prepares its own celebration of Omani culture. There are more than 130 known forms of traditional music in the country. Different regions of the country have their own famous musical cultures.

Much of the traditional music is accompanied by dancing and reciting poetry, although styles vary from region to region. The Dhofar region in southern Oman has a tradition called al-Bar'a, which includes warlike dancing and tribal singing. This is performed in a semicircle by both men and women.

As a predominantly desert country with a long coastline, Oman's music can usually be divided into "sea" and "desert. Many songs can be attributed to the various tasks performed by locals during the day.

Some examples of sea music are atat-baura for pulling on a boat's anchor, nazag sheraa for hoisting a sail, and yara mashuma for rowing a boat.

The country's Bedouins have their own musical culture, as do the locals of Oman's mountain ranges. Other common themes in Omani music are homesickness and travel.

What tools are used?

The Omanis have many instruments used in their music. They have a number of stringed instruments. The tambura, also called the fann at-tanbura or nuban, is a six-stringed instrument. The strings, called hiyut, are struck with a horn. This instrument draws its influence from Africa.

The Rababa is considered "the mother of all stringed instruments. It has one, two and four string versions. The Omani version called rababit ash-shawr has one string.

Unlike the violin, it is played vertically with the instrument placed on the player's hip. The rababa is rarely used nowadays, but it was once an integral part of Omani music.

Another important stringed instrument is the oud. It is commonly used in Arabic music. It has a short wooden neck. It usually has five or six strings.

Other instruments used in Omani music are the duff (tambourine), hulhal (ankle bracelet), cassaba (flute), and surnai (wooden oboe of belouchi origin).

Patronage of the Sultan

Although music has always been an important part of Omani culture, it was revived by Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said when he came to power in 1970. The decade following his ascension is considered the era of Oman's Renaissance.

Sultan is known to play the oud himself and is well versed in Western classical music. He was determined to give the country's music a structured program, which led to the creation of the Royal Omani Symphony Orchestra in 1985.

Under this program, musically gifted children from all over Oman were found and sent to a special boarding school where music was an important subject. Highly qualified teachers from Europe were specially brought to Oman.

After several decades of this program, a large number of well-trained people have emerged who are eligible to play in the national orchestra. When students graduate from the program, their first performances are usually before the Sultan. Then they are allowed to play for the Omani public.

The Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra performed for the first time in 2007 at the Young Euro Classic in Berlin. They were very well received. Today their music is known for combining traditional Omani folk music with strong Western techniques.

Their music can be seen at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, which opened in 2011. It is known for its remarkable architecture and many musical programs that include jazz and international music.

The auditorium is usually sold out for every event. When there are no performances, there are weekly tours of the opera house.

Other ways the sultan has patronized music in the country include a new musicology department at Qultan Qaboos University, music education in schools and the formation of the Muscat Festival.

The Omani Traditional Music Center was established in 1984 to document the country's traditions. Currently, the Center houses more than 20,000 photographs, 500 audio-visual media and sound recordings.

Oman Music Festivals

The Muscat Festival is a national celebration of Omani culture. It usually takes place in January and February for 2 weeks. There are musical performances, intellectual seminars, poetry evenings and even lectures by experts in their fields.

They take place in a number of places like Muscat public parks, exhibition centers, and cultural halls. There is even an Arab concert evening, when Arab singers perform. It is very popular with locals and tourists, drawing crowds of over 50,000 people each year.

There is always music playing in Oman. The Ministry of Tourism is planning several cultural evenings at the Al-Flay Castle Theater and the Al-Moruj Theater in Salalah.

You can also attend performances such as Souq es Sabt in Muscat. Every year, from 3 to 7 p.m., several local bands perform both contemporary and traditional music.

The rise of tourism in Oman has created a cosmopolitan culture in the country. Major contemporary music festivals include the Spring Music Festival and Sunset Music Festival, which host international DJs and perform various genres such as EDM and hip-hop.

So whether you're looking for traditional sounds or contemporary music, you'll find it all in Oman!