Education
At Brooklyn Maqam, we are dedicated to preserving traditional Arabic music through education—bringing together master musicians with members of the community who want to deepen their understanding and cultivate their own relationship with the music. Some of these opportunities are informal, like our flagship Maqam Hang jam sessions at Sisters. Over the past couple of years, we have begun offering some more formal opportunities to learn and participate, including a community chorus, maqam classes, and percussion classes.
Offerings change throughout the year, check the list below for current classes. Please note that certain offerings have registration deadlines.
Current Offerings
Submissions are now closed for the upcoming season of the NY Arabic Chorus — thank you to all who expressed interest.
Led by internationally renowned Palestinian vocalist Mona Miari, the chorus is inviting singers of all levels to share their passion for Arabic music and culture while exploring traditional and contemporary Arabic repertoire as part of this groundbreaking musical initiative.
We are holding an open call for submissions for participating in the chorus for Winter/Spring 2026. Because of the high level of interest, participants will be selected based on quality of submissions and space/availability. Participation includes 12 weekly sessions, and one culminating season performance.
Upcoming:
- Maqam Classes with Sami Abu Shumays (rolling schedule) - subscribe to our newsletter or check events calendar for upcoming classes
- Percussion class with Nezih Antakli - subscribe to our newsletter to hear about upcoming classes as soon as they are announced!
Ongoing:
- Maqam Hang - Arabic Jam Session: Late set, once a month at Sisters (check calendar, usually the third Tuesday of each month)
NY Arabic Chorus and Director Mona Miara - Fall 2025 concert
Sami Abu Shumays - Maqam Class
Scholarships
We want our programming to be accessible to everyone, and understand that registration and class fees may be a hurdle for some. If you need financial assistance, please fill out our scholarship request form here: