Sunday 15 / December / 2024
In a far-flung little town in India, a young girl, around eight years old, took the social media by storm with her mellifluous voice. Her five minutes You Tube performance went viral, putting the social media world into a frenzy over the child’s voice as well as her difficult circumstances: She was visually impaired, came from a very low income family, and had never received formal training in music. Veteran singers and musicians in India tweeted about her, posted on their Facebook pages, and began coming forward to facilitate formal training in music for her.
While this small town girl’s story sounds like something straight from the pages of a modern-day fairy-tale about happy endings, it also demonstrates the fact that music is one language that binds us all, touching our hearts, regardless of where we are from. It is also proven to be a hugely beneficial element of mental development, for both children and adults.
As proven by several studies and researches, learning the Do-Re-Me’s or Sa Re Ga Ma’s can help a child excel not just in music but in several other aspects of life as music is a great exercise for the brain. Music instructors say that students who get early training show a mark improvement in their language and other development areas. It enhances their creativity and also develops spatial intelligence.
Learning music is said to boost our memory, enhance our creativity, and self esteem too. And it is even a great way for ageing adults to ward-off Alzheimer’s. Neuroscience research indicates that those who learn music, in any form, have larger growth of neural activity than people who do not go for any music training.
In Muscat most schools, both local and international, have music classes incorporated into the curriculum, but to cultivate a child’s skills to a professional level, or to give older children and adults the opportunity to take-up music later in life, there are several training centres here in Muscat offering proper, formal training in music.
Most of these centres aim to prepare students to appear for world class exams, offering comprehensive, systematic curricula. Many also offer continuing development classes for adults and introductory classes for those who want to take up an instrument or train their voices for the first time, regardless of age or background. So check out our list of places where you can learn to strike the right chord here in Muscat.
Music Schools In Muscat 1. Talentz Music Institute
Talentz Music Institute was started in 2002 with the sole objective of offering world-class musical education in Muscat. Here students are prepared for internationally recognised exams offered by ABRSM & Trinity College of London. Classes are an hour and a half long, with a maximum of four students per class. Saturday – Thursday 9am-12pm and 3:30pm-8:30pm.
Classes: Guitar (classical and pop), piano, keyboard, and violin.
levels: Classes are for beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels for children and adults.
Fees: OMR20-OMR38 monthly, depending upon course and grade.
Location: Al Noor Street, Ruwi.
contact: +968 2478 3443, +968 2479 1948,
talentz.net, [email protected]
2. Jitterbugs
Jitterbugs is a unique concept created to introduce newborns and babies up to two-years-old to music. The centre teaches nursery rhymes and action songs in a fun, interactive way for both children and their parents. Classes are held once per week and are booked in five-week sessions.
Classes: Introduction to music.
levels: For infant to 2-years-old, with parents.
Fees: OMR20 for 5-week session.
Location: Al Hail and MQ.
Contact: + 968 9967 8017
facebook.com/Jitterbugsmuscatoman
3. The Music Palace
The Music Palace aims at giving a comprehensive training in different musical instruments.
Classes: Piano, violin, and guitar.
levels: Offers comprehensive music education for all ages from introductory to professional level and follows Trinity syllabus.
Fees: For guitar and piano it is OMR15 (for 45 minutes); for violin it is OMR20 (for 45 minutes).
Location: Way No. 1947, House No. 2557
Madinat Qaboos, Near British School.
contact: +968 2460 2445, +968 2460 2651
facebook.com/Music Palace in Oman -Muscat
4. Melody Music Institute
Started in the year 1993 as an offshoot of the prestigious Ragamalika School in Kerala, the Melody Music Institute offers courses for both those who wish to pursue music as a hobby and those interested in it as a potential career. The centre follows two syllabuses, Trinity and ABRSM (Associated Board Of The Royal Schools Of Music) and instructors train students to appear for these world class exams. 90-minute classes are held on Saturdays, 9am-12pm and 3pm-9pm, and Sunday to Thursday, 3pm-9pm.
Classes: Western-style piano, keyboard, violin, guitar, drum, flute, and vocals, as well as Carnatic vocals, and Oudh.
Levels: Courses are for all age groups. Examinations, Trinity and ABRSM, are held for students till 8th grade. After the 8th grade some diploma programmes are also available. It is an authorised examination centre for both Trinity and ABRSM.
Fees: Starting from OMR25-OMR35, depending on the course and the grade.
location: Darsait, Wadi Kabir,
and Al Khuwair.
Contact: Darsait: +968 2470 3130,
Wadi Kabir: +968 2481 1482,
Al Khuwair: +968 2448 6647,
melodymuscat.com, [email protected], [email protected]
5. Harmony Music And Art Training Centre
One of the leading music centres in Oman, Harmony Music & Art Training Centre offers professional music training and is an authorised centre for The Associated Board of The Royal School of Music & Trinity College of Music, London music exams.
Classes: Guitar, violin, piano, keyboard, harmonium, drums, tabla, Carnatic vocal, Hindustani vocal, Western vocal, piano, and drums.
Levels: For beginners and adults, depending on the course.
Fees: Starting from OMR20-36, depending on the course and the grade.
Location: Al Ghubra, Ruwi, and Wadi Kabir.
contact: Al Ghubra:+968 2449 9930, Ruwi: +968 2470 4303, Wadi Kabir: +968 2481 0833
[email protected]
6. Classic Music And Arts Institute
Classic Music & Art Institute, located in the heart of Qurum, gives formal training in learning instruments.
Classes: Piano, vocals (both rock and pop and western classical), classical electric and bass guitar, ukelele, saxophone, clarinet, and drums. They also have a creative music educational programme for early years, starting from 1-6 years.
levels: Courses are for all grades and one can choose between tailored lessons, formal assessment courses, and specialised courses.
Fees: OMR9 per class for 30 minutes. The course fees might vary according to duration or grade.
Location: Fahud Street No. 53, Qurum, Near Rose Garden.
contact: + 968 9749 7777,
+ 968 2456 0025,
[email protected]
