Music of Jordan

The music of Jordan can be distinguished from that of its neighboring countries like Syria and Saudi Arabia by its strong Bedouin influence [1]. Rural zajal songs, with improvised poetry played with a rabab and reed pipe ensemble accompanying is popular

Folk music

Jordanian Arab music is pentatonic and uses elaborate rhythms. Folk songs are often narratives concerning family, love, death and honor, accompanied by rabab, reed pipe, mizmar mujwiz or ney (flutes), gerbeh (bagpipes) and oud (lute), as well as small lap drums [3]. Purely instrumental music is rare .

Popular music

The Bedouin singer Omar Abdullat is perhaps Jordan’s biggest star, known for his patriotic song “Hashemi, Hashemi” [5]. Another well-known Jordanian musician is Qamar Badwan, who won the golden prize in the 2000 Cairo Song Festival, the Jordanian Women for Arabic Music Ensemble, percussionist Hani Naser and the pianist and composer Khalid Asad.

Music institutions

There is a National Jordanian Music Institution, Jordanian Music Centre (Muntada Huwa al-Fan), National Music Conservatory (NMC, part of Yarmouk University) and a Jordanian Music Council . There is also a Jordanian Song Festival.