Ahoora (Hosseini) Lehto
European higher music education has traditionally centered Western classical music as the main framework for professional training and musical knowledge. Even when institutions speak about diversity, many musical traditions remain underrepresented in the curriculum, especially music from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
In 2022, I founded the MENA Ensemble at the Sibelius Academy (Global Music Department, University of the Arts Helsinki) as part of my pedagogy studies. The ensemble was designed as a practical learning space where students from different musical backgrounds could engage with MENA-region music through listening, performance, and collaborative learning.
This article summarizes what I learned through the process, focusing on teaching methods, challenges, and what the project suggests about inclusivity and curriculum development in higher music education.
Why the MENA Ensemble was created
The main motivation behind the ensemble was simple: MENA music was barely present in the institution’s regular teaching, even though many students were interested in it, and many musicians in Finland already work with these traditions.
The ensemble aimed to create an accessible entry point into modal and rhythmic practices that are central in many MENA traditions, including Iranian, Arabic, Turkish, Kurdish, and North African musical contexts.
The ensemble was intentionally open to students regardless of:
instrument,
department,
prior experience,
or theoretical background.
This was an important pedagogical decision. In many institutions, non-Western music is offered only in specialized programs, which limits access and reinforces the idea that it is “extra” rather than part of the musical core.
What we studied
The course introduced students to:
basic modal concepts related to maqam and dastgah systems,
rhythmic grooves and cycles common in MENA traditions,
ornamentation and articulation,
and introductory improvisation practices.
The repertoire included five modal frameworks. Three were chosen because they are relatively accessible on Western instruments (Nahawand, Hijaz, Ajam), and two were included specifically to introduce microtonal listening and intonation (Bayati and Shur).
This balance was important: the goal was not to simplify the tradition into something “Western-friendly,” but to build a learning pathway that was challenging and achievable within a short course format.
Teaching methods that worked
Because students came from different musical backgrounds, I used a hybrid teaching approach, combining oral learning, group practice, and selective use of notation.
1. Teaching by ear (oral transmission)
Oral learning was central. It helped students develop:
phrasing,
ornamentation,
rhythmic feel,
and modal behavior beyond written notes.
This method also supported memory and listening, which are essential in many MENA traditions.
2. Collaborative learning and jamming
Improvisation and group playing were not treated as an “advanced” skill. Instead, they were used as a learning tool from the beginning.
Jamming helped students:
apply new material immediately,
develop ensemble communication,
and reduce fear of “playing wrong.”
It also made the ensemble feel more like a shared musical space rather than a teacher-centered classroom.
3. Notation as a supportive tool (not the authority)
Notation was used carefully, mostly to support students trained in Western classical traditions. However, notation was never treated as the main source of truth.
This was especially important when teaching:
microtonality,
ornamentation,
and stylistic articulation.
Many aspects of MENA music cannot be captured accurately in standard Western notation, and forcing them into staff notation often leads to misunderstanding.
The biggest challenge: microtonality on Western instruments
Microtonality was one of the most important learning moments, but also one of the most difficult.
Many students were playing instruments that are not designed for microtonal tuning, such as piano, guitar, and many orchestral instruments without flexible intonation.
Instead of focusing on technical perfection, I framed microtonality as:
a listening practice,
an expressive tool,
and a stylistic direction.
This supported inclusivity, because students could participate without feeling excluded. At the same time, it also raised a real tension: inclusivity sometimes requires simplification, especially in short-format courses.
What participants valued most
After the course, I interviewed four participants who attended consistently. Their feedback was clear.
They appreciated:
the welcoming atmosphere,
the balance between explanation and practice,
the chance to engage with music outside their main department,
and the opportunity to learn through jamming rather than only reading or analysis.
They also emphasized that the ensemble felt like a rare space in the institution: one where curiosity and experimentation were more important than “correctness.”
What participants wanted to improve
The strongest suggestion from participants was also the simplest one: more time.
Eight sessions were enough for introduction, but not enough for depth. Several participants wanted:
a longer course,
an advanced continuation ensemble,
and more structured time for improvisation.
Some also mentioned that punctuality and consistency mattered, because late arrivals disrupted the flow of learning in an ensemble setting.
What this project suggests about diversity in music education
The MENA Ensemble functioned as a small but meaningful intervention inside a Western-centered institution.
It showed that:
students are highly interested in MENA musical practices,
hybrid teaching approaches work well in mixed-background ensembles,
and inclusive learning spaces can be created without lowering artistic ambition.
At the same time, the project also revealed a structural issue: diversity cannot depend only on individual projects. If institutions want real inclusivity, they need sustained curriculum pathways, not just temporary ensembles.
This includes:
longer course formats,
multi-level teaching (introductory + advanced),
guest artists and community collaboration,
and recognition of oral and embodied learning as legitimate academic knowledge.
Conclusion
Teaching MENA music in a Finnish university context is not only possible, it is deeply valuable. It expands musical understanding, challenges assumptions about what counts as “serious” knowledge, and creates new artistic relationships inside the institution.
The MENA Ensemble was an attempt to build a practical, respectful, and accessible learning environment where MENA musical knowledge could be treated as central rather than marginal.
The strongest outcome of the project was not only musical. It was the confirmation that students want more spaces like this, and that higher music education has the responsibility to develop them.