Current Projects
Meet the Musicians – Chamber Music Society of Mississauga (CMSM)
2026
Ruba joined the Chamber Music Society of Mississauga’s Meet the Musicians program, presenting interactive sessions in schools across the Dufferin-Peel Region. Her work introduces students from Kindergarten to Grade 8 to the oud, darbuka, and Arabic musical traditions through performance, discussion, and participatory learning.
Link: CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF MISSISSAUGA
Past Projects
2025
Arts Council England Funding –
Taqasim Oud Club 2025
February 2025
Successfully acquired a grant from the Arts Council England for the Taqasim Music Foundation.
2024
Arabic Music Workshops – Primary Schools
May 2024
A team of 4 musicians delivered a week-long series of workshops in rural primary schools in and around Knighton, Wales, UK. Students were introduced to Arabic music and rhythmic traditions through darbuka, body percussion, and hands-on activities.
Musicians: Ruba Hillawi, Ahmed Mukhtar, Camilla Saunders, and Sonia Hammond.
2023
Liverpool Arab Arts Festival
15 July 2023
A hands-on workshop leading participants through a brief history of Arabic music, maqamat, rhythms and musical forms presented along with a select repertoire of traditional and popular music.
In collaboration with the Taqasim Music Foundation.
2020
This Edge of the Wedge
September 2020
Podcast background music
Podcast Link
King’s College London – Guest Speaker (online)
May 2020
Delivered a lecture/workshop online to 15 higher-level Arabic language learners to integrate learned language with Arabic music and culture. Most students were acquiring Arabic to facilitate them with their Masters and PhD research.
2019
Arts Council England Funding –
Taqasim Oud Club 2020
November 2019
Successfully acquired a grant from the Arts Council England for the Taqasim Music Foundation.
2018
BBC – Did Syria Create the World’s First Song?
May 2018
Invited to contribute an oud performance to a BBC Travel feature and accompanying short film exploring early musical traditions and the origins of the world’s earliest known song, based on a cuneiform tablet. The project featured interpretations developed by Prof. Richard Dumbrill, with vocals performed by Sevan Habib, alongside contributions from Ruba’s performance work.
Article Link
