This interdisciplinary course examines how three major Jewish communities—Babylon, Aleppo, and Jerusalem—developed distinctive musical practices through centuries of cultural encounters within the Arabic musical world.
You’ll Learn: Explore Arabic music theory: maqam, microtonality, and ornamentation. Practice authentic piyyutim (paraliturgical poetry) from each tradition. Trace Babylonian musical development from ancient Mesopotamia to modern Iraq. Discover Aleppo’s mystical Baqashot winter ceremonies and Sephardic influences. Examine Jerusalem’s evolving Sephardic-Jerusalemite tradition as a living practice.
Learning Approach: Combining historical research, ethnographic methods, and performance practice, you’ll experience music as a bridge between faith, identity, and creativity. Learn through oral teaching with master practitioners, expert interviews, and interactive timelines. Created by The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, featuring scholars, musicians, and tradition-bearers.
