The Oman Centre for Traditional Music (OCTM)

The Oman Centre for Traditional Music (OCTM) at the Ministry of Information was established in 1984. The Centre documents traditional Omani music and songs and makes audio and video recordings of them on location. All recorded material is kept in the Centre’s archives along with details of the musical forms, instruments, performers and the regions to which they pertain. These archives will be transferred onto a digital system and a photographic album will illustrate the style of the performances. The Center will soon complete its compilation, documentation and field recordings of traditional Omani music and musical instruments, together with details of how the instruments are made, thumbnail sketches of leading performers and instrument makers, the terminology used in traditional music and its artistic significance, in both Arabic and English. The recordings include lullabies, wedding songs and work songs.

At present the OCTM is setting up a museum to display examples of traditional Omani musical instruments. Other projects include a department for teaching the theory and practice of traditional music to Omani nationals to complement the current programme and a scheme to promote and support the best traditional musicians and instrument makers. The Centre plans to sponsor Omani researchers and run training courses to teach techniques for documenting and recording traditional Omani music. The Centre finishes drafting its subject headings and entries on traditional Omani music for the Oman Encyclopaedia. It will continues to update and improve the design and material for its Electronic OCTM website. In past years the Centre hosted a busy programme of events and the schedule for this year looks equally promising.

For current programs, its documented traditional Omani music and songs visit Oman Centre for Traditional Music website: http://www.octm-folk.gov.om/ which is available in English & Arabic .