We’re excited to present the second session of Music Talks: Reclaiming Cultural Identity in Music, happening on Sunday the 2nd of March at Riwaq!
The global music industry is deeply influenced by Western traditions, systems, and technologies. These frameworks often impose expectations on sounds from our region, dictating what is considered “authentic” through a Western lens. From the design of instruments to the structure of music-making software, creators from our region face limitations that shape how they express their cultural identities. This session seeks to challenge these norms, exploring how reclaiming the sounds of our music practices can reinforce the authenticity of diverse creative forms.
However, this conversation must go beyond merely resisting Western hegemony by affirming identity politics. Why must music adhere to cultural markers or notions of identity to challenge dominant paradigms? Experimental and atonal music—forms that often defy categorization—present a compelling counterpoint. These genres question whether music needs to reflect a specific culture to resist. Can music exist purely as art, free from cultural or political labels, while still challenging the structures that constrain it? This line of inquiry aligns with the principle that “form follows function”: could music’s purpose—whether to provoke, to comfort, or to innovate—determine its validity and power, rather than its adherence to external cultural or political identifiers?
Cultural practitioners navigating these questions often reshape their approaches to music-making, balancing the weight of inherited traditions with the freedom to innovate. When bound by tools, scales, and genres designed by and for Western frameworks, they find ways to modify or take ownership of these resources. This act of defiance reclaims agency and empowers musicians to redefine their sonic heritage, whether by resurfacing forgotten sounds or inventing entirely new ones.
The discussion also addresses the intersection of technology and cultural heritage. In an era of rapid digital advancement, how can software and hardware innovation align with the diverse needs of global music communities? The emergence of tools tailored to non-Western sounds has the potential to foster more inclusive music ecosystems, breaking free from frameworks that marginalize certain traditions and practices.
By questioning the hegemony of identity politics alongside Western frameworks, we aim to create space for music that defies categorization. Whether through reviving marginalized sounds, embracing experimentation, or re-imagining tools, these acts contribute to broader movements for cultural preservation and artistic freedom. This is an invitation to rethink the role of technology, artistry, and ownership in reclaiming our music identities, and sounds and stories thrive on their own terms.
Many questions raise themselves when thinking about this topic and we want to address and discuss them, collectively, with you and with our panelists:
- Khyam Allami (Musician/Composer/Researcher, Iraq-UK)
- Hasan Nakhleh (Musician-TootArd, Golan Heights-Switzerland)
- Deena Abdelwahed (DJ/Composer/Producer, Tunisia)
We have a lot to talk about. We hope to see you there!
Visual by Farah Fayyad
Music Talks is organized by B&B, curated by Anthony Tawil, funded by The Norwegian Embassy in Lebanon
