World Routes - New music in the Middle East

Iraqi oud player Khyam Allami, the first recipient of the World Routes Academy scholarship, travels with Lucy Duran to explore new music in Beirut, Damascus and Amman. In this programme, Khyam Allami presents a broad picture of contemporary Middle Eastern music by focusing on the current independent music activities in three of its centres - the capital cities of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Plus a studio session of Cypriot Greek songs performed by Nicoletta Demetriou accompanied by Khyam on 'Ud and Jacob Olley on Nay. BBC Radio 3's World Routes Academy scholarship is a new scheme which aims to support and inspire young world music artists by bringing them together with an internationally-renowned figure in the same field. This year, Khyam Allami will be collaborating with, and learning from, one of the biggest stars of Middle Eastern music, the Iraqi singer and guitarist Ilham Al Madfai. The project culminates in a BBC Proms concert in August.