Omani music bands enthral Muscat Festival visitors

Oman Sunday 31/January/2016 20:33 PM
By: Times News Service
Omani music bands enthral Muscat Festival visitors

Muscat: Traditional Omani music bands are taking center stage at Muscat Festival 2016, fascinating Omanis and tourists with their variety of music.
The festival provides an opportunity for the musicians to perform, especially at Heritage Village in Al Amerat Park. Their performances have attractedlarge crowds, who have come to listen to traditional music of the Sultanate.
According to Barnard, a German tourist, such Arab music is exciting to hear, and also helps tourists learn about the country.
“The rhythms of this music makes us dance,” he said.
Traditional music and dance is performed by both men and women, in groups or individually.
They perform different kinds of traditional musical compositions to enthrall audiences at the festival, such as Al Razfah, Al Aazi, Al Tagroodah and Al Dan, in addition to Al Weeliah, Al Munanah, Al Rababah and Al Yoolah. There is also Al Habban, Al Liwah, Al Qurbah and wedding music, such as Al Tahteeb, Al Ruqat, Al Taseef, Al Mulalah and others.
“We feel really good about seeing the performances of these bands because, as expats, this music helps us to know more about our second home and its traditions,” Rishikesh told Times of Oman.
Muscat Festival has been transformed into a celebration that brings together people from different nationalities. So far, the festival has seen visitors from various parts of the Sultanate who have come to hear traditional music and enjoy the dances.
Hundreds of people await these performances, especially the new generations of the Sultanate who get an opportunity to witness Oman’s early culture through these performances.
“This traditional event helps our children know more about our country, and they can also see the traditional games played by their parents and grandparents,” an Omani resident said.