Ahmed el-Maghraby
Next Music Station

Ahmed el-Maghraby

‘Music is an inevitable part of everyday life.’

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“I’m Ahmed el-Maghraby, director of the Egyptian Centre for Culture and Art, known as the Makan in Cairo. 

Our work is related to music and singing. In the Arab world music faces big problems such as the media and the loss of heritage and tradition in these countries.

Our centre has three goals. The first goal is to document the traditional folk legacy threatened by the savage attacks of modern songs. The business of ‘manufacturing superstars’ and the new songs and video clips on satellite channels are making folk music disappear. That’s why we have archived many hours of our folk legacy. 

The second goal is to present this legacy of folk music as close to its original form as possible.

Music is an inevitable part of everyday life.

Public wedding parties were the main event to present these joyful songs. In these parties people would sing with the singers.

The main reason for choosing such a small place was to allow the audience to be close to the performers.

With the people’s participation, we come up with a new form of music based on old songs.”

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Next Music Station airs at the following times GMT each week: Tuesday: 2000; Wednesday: 1200; Thursday: 0100; Friday: 0600; Saturday: 2000; Sunday: 1200; Monday: 0100; Tuesday: 0600.