UMM SALAL: The Music Affairs Center of the Ministry of Culture is participating in the Qatar National Day events at Darb Al Saai, Umm Salal, with a music museum that documents the rich history of music in Qatar. The museum highlights the evolution of the nation’s musical instruments and their legacies.
According to Qatar News Agency, Faisal Al Tamimi, a researcher in music heritage and supervisor of the music museum at Darb Al Saai, explained that the museum was created to document Qatar’s musical history. Al Tamimi emphasized the challenges in documenting music before the advent of instruments that facilitated this process, which made it essential to gather substantial information about Qatari music, including bands, composers, lyricists, and singers, as well as the instruments that have been used historically.
Al Tamimi noted that the museum’s exhibits are limited due to space and time constraints at Darb Al Saai. The focus is on folklore arts that are foundational to Qatari music, which primarily relies
on percussion instruments. These instruments are introduced along with their names and roles to provide a comprehensive view, shaping the Qatari musical identity.
He also mentioned a special section dedicated to books about both eastern and western music, and two pavilions honoring late Qatari artists who have left a lasting impact on the nation’s music. The Ministry of Culture is organizing the Qatar National Day events at Darb Al Saai, which will run until December 18, featuring numerous cultural and heritage activities that reinforce national identity.