HOST (IN ARABIC): Welcome gifted viewers to Good People, Good Works. Today’s show features a remarkable Palestinian institution, the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, which offers a diploma program in instrumental and theoretical music.

This program prepares students for university level studies so that one day they may go on to become professional musicians.

As part of its mission, the Conservatory, which has branches in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Ramallah, provides free musical instruction to youths residing in refugee camps.

Since its inception in １９９３, the Conservatory has been a great success story, with the Palestine Youth Orchestra, which was established by the Conservatory in ２００４, as a prime example.

Through the dedicated efforts of the teachers and students, the ensemble is considered one of the best youth orchestras in the Middle East.

At this institution, students may learn to play a variety of instruments from the Middle East and West. For example one may learn the qanon, which resembles a zither, the oud, a lute-like instrument, or classical western instruments like the piano or flute.

Through the diverse course offerings, students have the opportunity to become familiar with various musical styles such as western classical, jazz, or maqam, a modal structure of music from the Middle East.
The music history of both East and West is taught at the Conservatory.

We recently had the fortune to meet two of the directors of the Bethlehem branch of the Conservatory who gave us greater insights into the activities of this praiseworthy institution.