Workshops & teaching
Through interactive sessions and snippets of live performance, Camille offers a fun, hands-on exploration of Middle Eastern music, with a particular focus on Arabic traditions. Participants explore maqāms and their regional variations, the rhythms and instruments that define the region, and the history of Arabic music, its ancient roots, cultural evolution, and the influence of colonisation.
Sessions are pitched to the room, from primary classrooms and festival crowds through to advanced players refining maqām and technique, delivered through Cultural Infusion and independently.
Gallery
Sessions offered
Introduction to Middle-Eastern Music
A foundational understanding of maqāms, the scales that form the emotional backbone of Arabic music, their stylistic and regional variations, the key differences between Western and maqām-based systems, and the instruments that bring this music to life.
- Western vs Middle-Eastern
- Classical vs folk
- Heterophony vs polyphony
- Maqāms & their moods
- Rhythms
- Instruments
- Regional differences
- Live demonstration
Dive into Maqāms and Rhythms
A closer look at the structure of the maqāms and rhythms that shape Arabic music, with listening exercises, interactive performance examples, and how these elements combine to create its distinct emotional and cultural feel.
- Maqām families
- Components of a maqām
- Ajnas (subdivisions)
- Maqām variations
- Taqsīm & vocalising
- Improvisation
- Basic & advanced rhythms
- Rhythm of a song
History and Forms of Arabic Music
A journey through the historical and cultural evolution of Arabic music, from its ancient roots to contemporary society, its transformation over time, and the impact of colonisation on its development.
- Jahiliyya to contemporary
- Islamic Golden Age
- Ottoman & Nahda
- Forms & the wasla suite
- Notable artists
- Archiving
- Politics & colonisation
- Culture
Also available
Private lessons
One-to-one tuition on qānūn, nāy and Middle Eastern theory, for beginners through to advanced players, in person or online.
Arabic Jams at Capers
Host of monthly Arabic jam sessions, an open, interactive space to explore and appreciate Arabic musical traditions together.
A look inside
About the facilitator
Camille is a multi-instrumentalist specialising in Middle Eastern maqām music, performing at live international venues and in high-end studio sessions. His work at the Arab Music Archiving and Research Foundation (AMAR) built an extensive network of artists and a knowledge of the tradition learned through oral methods. He is passionate about making Arabic music accessible and engaging for all, combining clear, structured learning with humour, storytelling and hands-on exploration for musicians and enthusiasts alike.