The objective of the Beginner course is to acquire the fundamental techniques needed to play the oud and understand the characteristics of the Maqam Music System while studying the eight fundamental maqamaat together with traditional and popular repertoire. No previous music knowledge is required to attend this course, as most music is notated as tablature – a visual representation which does not require an understanding of music notation. However, we highly encourage beginners to also sign up for our Arabic Music Theory I.

The Oud Beginners course is 10 lessons long and each lesson runs for 2 hours. The maximum capacity is 7 students. Lessons are taught on a weekly basis. It is recommended that students spend time practicing material learned in between lessons. Students must have their own instrument and buy a copy of the course book. Teachers are available to assist in finding an Oud and to assess instruments. 

Course Book: Buy online here 

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks for book shipment 

This course is highly recommended for students who want to take oud lessons for the first time but haven’t seriously studied music before.

Learning a new instrument is challenging enough as it is: new ideas, new techniques, new pieces of music and lots and lots of practice! So, let’s make things a little easier. In this short series of classes, consisting of 5 lessons, you will learn all the basic skills you need to read, write and “talk” music. Taking a practical approach to music theory, we will be adapting the best bits from Western classical music theory and Arab classical music theory to give you all the tools you need to start your new life as a musician.

Topics for the course will include:

·        Reading and writing rhythms

·        Reading and writing melodies

·        Understanding music theory basics

·        Recognizing maqamaat in notation

·        Understanding the signs and symbols in a musical score

NOTE: We highly encourage students interested in this course to also sign up for the Oud Beginners course running straight after it on Saturdays from 12:00 – 14:00

Registration: £175

Course Book: Buy online here

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks for book shipment

The objective of the Beginner course is to acquire the fundamental techniques needed to play the oud and understand the characteristics of the Maqam Music System while studying the eight fundamental maqamaat together with traditional and popular repertoire. No previous music knowledge is required to attend this course, as most music is notated as tablature – a visual representation which does not require an understanding of music notation. However, we highly encourage beginners to also sign up for our Arabic Music Theory I.

The Oud Beginners course is 10 lessons long and each lesson runs for 2 hours. The maximum capacity is 7 students. Lessons are taught on a weekly basis. It is recommended that students spend time practicing material learned in between lessons. Students must have their own instrument and buy a copy of the course book. Teachers are available to assist in finding an Oud and to assess instruments. 

Course Book: Buy online here 

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks for book shipment 

New maqamaat that will be covered in this course include: Nahawand, Kurd, Lami, Bayat and Maqam Bayat Shor.

You will also learn new techniques using the second octave and some ornamentation. This course is designed for students who are interested in improving their Oud ornamentation techniques and to extend their knowledge of the maqam system.

In order to enroll for the Upper Intermediate course, it is required to have attended an Oud Intermediate course or to be comfortable with previously covered material and have your own instrument. Students with existing knowledge may apply but must be assessed by a teacher. Please contact: school@taqasim.net for an assessment.

Students need to allocate time for daily practice and study. This course consists of 10 lessons of 2 hours each. The maximum number of students is 7. Lessons are taught on a weekly basis. 

Course Book: Buy online here 

(Please allow 2 weeks for shipment)

The Taqasim Music School offers a more advanced set of courses for groups of students who are interested in further improving their Oud playing skills.

To enroll for this course, students need:

·        To have completed the Oud Beginner Course

Or

·        Be assessed by a teacher. To arrange for an assessment please email: school@taqasim.net

·        To have their own instrument. Teachers are available to assist in finding an Oud and to assess.

This course is 10 lessons long. Each lesson runs for 2 hours. The for a maximum capacity is 7 students. Lessons are taught on a weekly basis. It is recommended that students spend time practicing material learned in between lessons.

The maqamaat that will be further analyzed and transposed from different keys during this course through the study of traditional songs and piece are: Nahawand, Ajam, Kurd, Hijaz, Bayat, Rast, Saba and Segah.

Registration: £350

Course Book: Buy online here

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks for book shipment

We offer a more advanced set of courses for groups of students who are interested in improving their Oud playing skills further.

In order to enroll for the Intermediate course, it is required to have attended an Oud Upper Beginner course, and have your own instrument. The teachers are available to assist in finding an Oud and in assessing instruments.

Students with existing knowledge may apply but will need to be assessed by a teacher: please contact: school@taqasim.net

The level is more advanced than Lower Intermediate, so students need to allocate time for daily practice and study in order to see an improvement in their playing technique.

The Oud Intermediate Level 1 course is made up of 10 lessons of 2 hours each, for a maximum group of 7 students. Lessons are taught on a weekly basis. It is recommended that students spend time practicing material learned in between lessons.

During the course, a selection of Maqams (Ajam, Hijaz, Hijaz Kar, Rast, Suznak) will be analyzed in detail while studying traditional repertoire to highlight the characteristics of each Maqam, accompanied by technical studies on right-hand techniques, left-hand positions, and 2 octave scales.

Registration: £350

Course Book: Buy online here

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks for book shipment

The objective of the Oud Ensemble Course is to provide students with the opportunity to further progress their performance skills in a group setting. Each class will focus on a single Maqam and its corresponding repertoire with the goal of further developing students’ ornamentation skills such as tremolos, trills and the use of qarar and jawab within each song or piece.

Through this course, students will have the chance to progress their skills collaboratively while performing as a collective ensemble as well as playing solo. A selection of traditional songs and pieces will be analyzed in detail, adding various ornamentations and dynamics. Maqams that will be explored in detail include: Ajam, Nahawand, Rast and Bayat.

The course consists of 6 lessons, 3 hours each for a maximum group of 10 students.

Lessons are taught on a monthly basis. All course materials are provided in print.

This Course is open to Taqasim students who have successfully completed the Intermediate and Upper Intermediate courses. 

This course is open to returning students who have successfully completed the Darbuka Advanced courses. The course will focus on new complex rhythms and polyrhythms.

Students will have the opportunity to play solo and improvisation also alongside recorded and live music, keeping the beat with songs. They will also learn how to hum or sing along tunes while playing the darbuka and keeping time with the music. Students will progress the accent in rhythms. Accents can be achieved by right or left hand through beat’s dynamic changes. Accents play a crucial role in shaping rhythm and adding interest and expression to musical phrases. Students will also explore more complex polyrhythms with ‘Hiwa’ and ornamentations with a focus on right-hand coordination and right -hand Mahbus. Students will also begin to explore the complexities of rhythmic improvisation creating their own combinations of ornamentation.

Course Book: Buy online here Please allow 1 – 2 weeks for book shipment   

The darbuka (also darbuka, doumbec, tabla and goblet drum) is a drum with an ancient history and is widely used in the music of the Middle East and neighboring areas. It is played with the hands and has a single “head”. Originally, it was made of baked clay and an animal-skin head. Modern versions are usually made of a light metal such as aluminum and have a plastic “head”.

This course will cover basic techniques such as the correct way to hold the darbuka, how to produce the correct tones (such as “dum” and “tak”) and the correct right and left-hand strokes. Students will learn a variety of popular rhythms such as Wahda, Maqsoum, Ayyub, Malfouf and Thurayya.

At the end of the course, students will have the option of progressing to the Darbuka Intermediate course.  Note: Students must have their own darbuka to practice between lessons.  

Registration: £350 (paid online)

Course Book: Buy online

This course is open to returning students who have successfully completed the Darbuka Beginner to go to Intermediate level.

The course will focus on new complex rhythms and sound equality, keeping the beat and right tempo. They will also learn how to hum or sing along tunes while playing the darbuka and keeping time with the music. Students will also begin to explore the new complexities of rhythmic, hands coordination and new sounds.

Course Book: Buy online here 

This course is open to returning students who have successfully completed the Darbuka Beginner & Intermediate courses. The course will focus on new complex rhythms and polyrhythms. Students will have the opportunity to play alongside recorded and live music, keeping the beat with songs. They will also learn how to hum or sing along tunes while playing the darbuka and keeping time with the music. Students will also begin to explore the complexities of rhythmic improvisation creating their own combinations of ornamentation of Taqasim.

Note: Students must have their own darbuka to practice between lessons.

Registration: £350 (paid online)

Course Book: Buy online here

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks

In this course darbuka advanced students will learn how to play solo applying improvisational rhythms while others simultaneously play a ground rhythm such as Maqsoum, Malfouf, Baladi etc. Students will also begin practicing how to accompany the oud while performing different dynamics, precise tempo and accurate pulses within each rhythm.

Students will learn the accent in rhythms. Accent In music, is a stress or emphasis placed on a particular beat, making it stand out from the surrounding sounds. Accents can be achieved through beat’s dynamic changes (louder or softer) or (harder or lower). Accent plays a crucial role in shaping rhythm and adding interest and expression to musical phrases. Students will also explore more complex polyrhythms with ‘Hiwa’ and ornamentations with a focus on right-hand coordination and right -hand Mahbus. Additionally, students will also learn how to play with a recorded track, song or piece of music using the dynamics while maintaining a precise tempo throughout each piece.

Note: Students must have their own darbuka to practice between lessons.

Course Book: Buy online here

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks for book shipment