Welcome to El Mastaba Center for Egyptian Folk Music
El Mastaba pioneers social change through the arts.
Egypt is a diverse and rich country in every sense and its traditional musical heritage is no exception. Each of the regions, and ethnic groups that comprise the geographic areas and people of Egypt have their distinct musics. This music has always been a part of the Egyptian identity and it reflects the history, the socio-economic transformations and collective memory of this nation. El Mastaba seeks to mitigate the threat of extinction facing traditional music by creating an appreciation and awareness of its value to communities and to cultural identities that is expressed in market value, encouraging younger generations to see this as an economically viable profession. What is unique about this idea is that it sees local communities as the means to achieve change.
El Mastaba Center for Egyptian Folk Music was founded in Cairo in 2000 by Zakaria Ibrahim* with the aims to preserve, archive, document and develop this music. Read more about El Mastaba, why it was established, its vision, mission and more here.**
El Mastaba Center received the Roskilde Festival World Music Award
The Board of the RFWMA presented their annual World Music award to El Mastaba Center for Egyptian Folk Music. El Mastaba Director, Zakaria Ibrahim received the award at WOMEX World Music Expo on Sunday 30 October 2011 in Copenhagen, Denmark. more details
El Tanbura Continues to Celebrate the Revolution MOVE UP?
We are at the beginning of a new day in the history of Egypt in which
every Egyptian can now claim justice, respect, not on the bases of wealth or
power, but on their membership in the human community. This new day offers unprecedented
opportunities for free expression, innovation and experimentation and the role
of creative expression as a model for social change is in sight.
Historically, Egyptian folk music came from the people and reflected the every-day life of the Egyptians. It shared with those people their joy and pain, their victories and defeats and was always a mirror of all the major happenings in Egypt. Today El Mastaba follows this same road as it works on renewing the national memory and emphasizing the idea of belonging, and works to recapture the roots of the Egyptian character, all of which come to life through the music.
El Mastaba played an active role in the Egyptian Revolution, bringing the groups under its umbrella to Tahrir Square to share their music in five evening concerts on the stages built in the square. The three bands that participated in the concerts were all chosen from the Suez Canal area, as their music has always been a symbol for peoples’ resistance.
At El Mastaba we are very keen on keeping the vision of the Egyptian revolution alive. We believe in social equality, freedom and in building a civil state and are committed to developing the role of music in advocating these principles. We are also committed to reaching out to people, especially farmers, workers and students, encouraging them to become active participants in the political, social and cultural development of our country. El Tanbura band has performed in many of the revolution's contexts, singing their famous resistance songs from Port Said, as well as Tahrir-inspired new tunes. These songs can be accessed on youtube. Click here
The concert filmed above was a great success as the musicians hit it off completely with their young crowd. The band members reminded the audience that the journey is not yet over and that the Egypt we all dream about still needs them.
Historically, Egyptian folk music came from the people and reflected the every-day life of the Egyptians. It shared with those people their joy and pain, their victories and defeats and was always a mirror of all the major happenings in Egypt. Today El Mastaba follows this same road as it works on renewing the national memory and emphasizing the idea of belonging, and works to recapture the roots of the Egyptian character, all of which come to life through the music.
El Mastaba played an active role in the Egyptian Revolution, bringing the groups under its umbrella to Tahrir Square to share their music in five evening concerts on the stages built in the square. The three bands that participated in the concerts were all chosen from the Suez Canal area, as their music has always been a symbol for peoples’ resistance.
At El Mastaba we are very keen on keeping the vision of the Egyptian revolution alive. We believe in social equality, freedom and in building a civil state and are committed to developing the role of music in advocating these principles. We are also committed to reaching out to people, especially farmers, workers and students, encouraging them to become active participants in the political, social and cultural development of our country. El Tanbura band has performed in many of the revolution's contexts, singing their famous resistance songs from Port Said, as well as Tahrir-inspired new tunes. These songs can be accessed on youtube. Click here
The concert filmed above was a great success as the musicians hit it off completely with their young crowd. The band members reminded the audience that the journey is not yet over and that the Egypt we all dream about still needs them.
|
Upcoming Concerts in El Dammah theater (El Tanbura Hall formerly): click here
Concerts start at 9 pm at El Dammah theater: 30 Al Belaasi, Al Balaqsah, Abdeen, Cairo Governorate, Egypt. Doors open at 8:30 pm
Tickets at the door, 30 LE Reserved tickets 20 LE No reservations after 8:30 pm Contacts: 02 23926768 011 50 99 5354 info@el-mastaba.org |
 NubaNour  Abul Gheit Dervishes |
El Mastaba Center for Egyptian Folk Music is supported by:
