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About IRAB – Arab Association for Music

A Lebanese NGO founded in 2003 and registered in 2005, dedicated to preserving over 17,000 hours of Arab musical heritage for researchers and the public worldwide.

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Who We Are

IRAB is a Lebanese non-governmental organization that began its vital work in 2003 and was officially registered in 2005. For over two decades, we have been at the forefront of preserving and promoting the rich heritage of Arab music.

Our mission centers on documenting neglected archives and supporting researchers from around the world who are passionate about Arabic music. We serve as a bridge between traditional musical forms and contemporary scholarship, ensuring that centuries of musical wisdom remain accessible to future generations.

Through meticulous documentation, research publications, and digital archiving, we provide full access to our archived materials to international and local music researchers and experts, fostering a global community of Arabic music scholarship.

Key Facts

17,000+Hours of Recordings
20+Years of Work
GlobalResearch Access
100+Years of Music History

Our Collections & Research Work

Rare Recordings Archive

We have collected nearly 15,000+ hours of music, including very rare recordings from the earliest traces of modern Arabic music dating back to the turn of the 20th century. These neglected archives represent invaluable cultural heritage.

Arabic Music Library

Created in 2009 with an AFAC grant, our library contains 4,300 LPs and 405 tapes, all digitized and made available to the public. This comprehensive collection serves researchers and music enthusiasts worldwide.

McGill University Collaboration

In 2007, we partnered with McGill University to archive more than 2,000 hours of Arabic music and organized a "Metadata Workshop" to train professionals in digitizing and archiving music and film.

Press Archives Expansion

Since 2020, we have expanded our archiving efforts to include newspapers and magazines from the 1930s–1980s, such as "al-Shabaka" and "al-Sayyad", preserving media documenting life and music from the pre-digital modern age.

Key Milestones

2003

IRAB Begins

IRAB starts its vital work in preserving Arab musical heritage.

2005

Official Registration

IRAB becomes an officially registered NGO in Lebanon.

2007

McGill Partnership

Collaboration with McGill University archives 2,000+ hours and establishes metadata training workshop.

2009

Arabic Music Library

Created with AFAC grant: 4,300 LPs and 405 tapes, all digitized and public.

2018

Award Recognition

Won Arab Thought Foundation Award for "The Revolutionary Melody – A Biography of the Fleifel Brothers".

2020

Press Archives

Expanded archiving to newspapers and magazines from 1930s–1980s, preserving pre-digital media.

Team at a Glance

BK

Bassel Kassem

Sound Engineer & President

Leading IRAB's technical and strategic vision for preserving Arab musical heritage.

YA

Yara Ayoub

Project Manager & Program Developer

Developing and managing IRAB's research programs and archival projects.

JC

Jawad Chaaban

Sound Engineer & Mastering Expert

Specializing in audio mastering and technical preservation of historical recordings.

LN

Lara Nohra

Communication Manager

Managing IRAB's communications and outreach to the global research community.

Award for Creativity

In 2018, IRAB was honored with the Arab Thought Foundation Award for Creativity for our book "The Revolutionary Melody – A Biography of the Fleifel Brothers", recognizing our contribution to documenting Arab musical heritage.

IRAB

Preserving and promoting the heritage of Arabic music for researchers, musicians, and the public.

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