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Students embrace new rhythms at Saudi music schools

Published

4 years ago

2022/07/24

Saudi businessman Ahmed Abdullah watches intently as his seven-year-old daughter Yasmine practises keyboard scales at a Riyadh music school, an opportunity he could only dream about when he was young. Saudi Arabia’s rulers have relaxed some social restrictions after decades of adhering to a rigid interpretation of Islam, enforced by the kingdom’s religious police, that placed severe limits on social activities including group music lessons.

“Now we are thinking about the next generation and investing in it,” Abdullah said.

Previously those who could afford it hired music tutors to come to their homes, while the rest struggled to find any instruction at all. But as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto ruler, seeks to expand entertainment options for citizens, music has become a bigger part of daily life, and music schools are popping up in major cities.

At least five such schools have opened over the past few years in the capital Riyadh and Jeddah, the kingdom’s second city on the Red Sea coast, serving an enthusiastic clientele of children and some adults.

Yasmine’s class, at the Yamaha Music Centre, meets every Saturday for half an hour, with their Egyptian instructor running students through keyboard drills under a sign reading “Music for All”.

The session is bittersweet for her father, Abdullah, who thrills at his daughter’s enthusiasm even as it reminds him of “things I had no chance of achieving in my childhood”.

– Notes of change –

Music has been a feature of the dramatic social reforms ushered in by Prince Mohammed, who became first in line to the throne five years ago.

For decades the country was decidedly off the beaten path of most touring artists but in recent years some of the world’s biggest stars, including Justin Bieber and K-pop juggernaut BTS, have performed in the kingdom.

These marquee events have spurred allegations of complicity in a transparent bid to whitewash the kingdom’s grim human rights record.

But there is little question that many young, entertainment-starved Saudis are grateful for the shows.

Last December more than 700,000 revellers flocked to the MDLBeast Soundstorm music festival in Riyadh, officials said, for four days of performances including a set by superstar French DJ David Guetta.

Daily life, too, has become more melodious, with restaurants and cafes staging live acts or blasting recordings through speakers — some even during prayer time, when in the past they would have been forced to close. Several Saudis who are now trying to develop their own musical chops described the transformation as a boon to their mental health.

Wejdan Hajji, a 28-year-old employee at a firm selling medical supplies, said she once struggled to teach herself guitar by watching YouTube videos, lamenting that “if I made a mistake, there was no one to correct me”.

Now she pays 940 Saudi riyals (around $250) each month for classes with a Ukrainian teacher at the Yamaha Music Centre.

“I didn’t know anything, but now I’ve learned the basics,” she said.

“The one-hour session clears my mind… My personality has changed, and I’m calmer.”

– A growing market –

Such benefits could soon extend to many more young Saudis. In 2020 the kingdom established a “Music Authority” under its culture ministry which grants licenses to music schools and provides backing to young talents eager to pursue careers in the music industry. Some 100 private schools nationwide have included a music component in their curricula during the current academic year, according to an official tally.

In May, the authority launched a “Music Culture Programme” to develop the skills of public school students as well. As those initiatives get off the ground, the specialised music schools continue to do brisk business. One recent afternoon at the “House of Music” school in northern Riyadh, an instructor supervised five toddlers as they swayed to the sound of lullabies playing on a speaker.

The school opened in 2019 and has 300 students of all ages who come for lessons in rooms adorned with posters of performers like Bob Marley and Lebanese singer Fairuz.

“There is a good acceptance of the services we provide so far,” said the school’s Venezuelan director, Cesar Mora, adding that the school has a second branch in the works.

“There is a growing music-loving community and market.”

Walid Mahmoud, a 37-year-old Sudanese resident of Riyadh, began coming to the school so his young daughters could take lessons on the oud, a stringed instrument popular in the region.

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Iranian ships stranded, Lanka fears US sanctions

Published

20 hours ago

2026/10/11

Thilina Walpola

‘Companies may face US sanctions’: Lanka to put ‘national interest’ first as 19 Iranian vessels seek help

(ToI) Sri Lanka said on Friday it would “prioritise our national interests” before providing assistance to the crews of 19 Iranian ships anchored in international waters near the island nation.The crews are facing shortages of food, water and fuel. A foreign ministry spokesperson cited the risk of US sanctions against Sri Lankan companies supplying the vessels as a key concern.

The United States and Iran have been at war since February 28, when the US and Israel launched joint strikes against the Islamic Republic.

“Sri Lanka will put its national interest first before considering any help, and the companies that supply ships are aware of possible secondary sanctions from the United States,” spokesperson Thushara Rodrigo told reporters, ruling out any immediate assistance to the vessels.

Rodrigo clarified, however, that Sri Lanka had received no communication from the United States warning of repercussions if it decided to assist the vessels.According to Rodrigo, the ships are stationed 24 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s coast.The Iranian Embassy said it had no information on the matter.

In March, a US torpedo attack sank the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena in Sri Lankan waters, killing 87 sailors.

The ship was returning to Iran after participating in a naval exercise at India’s invitation. A second Iranian vessel was brought to a Sri Lankan port after its crew reported technical problems.

Wounded sailors were treated at Sri Lankan hospitals, while those rescued from the second vessel were safely repatriated to Iran.

Sri Lanka is still recovering from an economic crisis, with both the United States and Iran serving as important trading partners. Washington played a key role in securing an International Monetary Fund bailout and supporting Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector to help avert a food crisis.

News

Sri Lanka CERT warns of overseas university admission scams

Published

20 hours ago

2026/10/11

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka CERT has warned the public of fraudulent social media advertisements offering admission to foreign universities after receiving complaints from parents and students who have lost hundreds of thousands of rupees to scammers.

The fraudsters reportedly pose as representatives of reputed foreign universities, promising admission, student visas, work permits and even eventual citizenship in return for registration fees and initial tuition payments.

They use convincing videos, photographs and documents circulated via email and WhatsApp to gain the confidence of unsuspecting victims before asking them to transfer money to foreign bank accounts. The scammers then disappear after receiving the payments, Sri Lanka CERT said.

The agency has urged prospective students and their parents to verify the authenticity of university representatives, documents and bank account details before making payments, and to seek overseas education opportunities only through legitimate and recognised channels.

News

Navi Pillay’s Lankan affairs in focus as she wins 2026 Nobel Peace Prize

Published

20 hours ago

2026/10/11

Thilina Walpola

Navi Pillay

Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and International Court of Justice judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to international law and efforts to promote peace, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced in Oslo on Friday.

Announcing the award, committee chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes said Pillay had “significantly enlarged the scope and impact of international law” and helped advance “a more comprehensive global legal order” with exceptional courage. He also praised her long career, which began as a lawyer confronting deep-rooted discrimination in South Africa, and described her as a person with a “firm moral compass”.

Pillay, 85, served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014. Her tenure brought her into sharp focus in Sri Lanka, particularly over her assessment of the country’s human rights situation in the aftermath of the decades-long civil war.

During an official fact-finding visit to Sri Lanka from August 25 to 31, 2013, Pillay travelled to areas including Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Trincomalee, where she met civil war survivors, families of the disappeared and local communities.

Following the visit, she warned that Sri Lanka was moving towards authoritarianism and highlighted what she described as a persistent climate of fear.

She also reported intimidation and harassment of people who had sought to meet her during the mission.

Pillay urged the UN Human Rights Council to establish an international inquiry mechanism to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both government forces and the LTTE during the final stages of the 26-year civil war.

Her observations and recommendations became a significant part of international scrutiny of Sri Lanka’s post-war human rights record.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee received 287 nominations for this year’s Peace Prize, slightly more than a quarter of them being organisations. The committee traditionally considers efforts to promote peace, international fraternity and institutions that contribute to lasting stability.

Last year, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the prize for her campaign for a democratic transition in Venezuela. She was praised as a woman who kept the flame of democracy burning amid growing darkness.

The 2026 award marks the 125th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize, first presented in 1901. Over its history, the prize has recognised prominent figures and organisations involved in advancing peace, human rights and international cooperation.