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In 2010 ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 3 launches 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.

In the first year of the Radio 3 World Routes Academy, the focus is on two Iraqi musicians: the young, London based musician Khyam Allami is the first recipient of this scholarship and he will work with the celebrated Ilham al-Madfai, the guitarist, singer and composer who will take on the role of mentor.

Radio 3's World Routes (Saturdays, 3.00pm) will follow the partnership over the nine-month scheme with regular interviews, documentary material, recordings and performances.

Radio 3 World Routes Academy is about celebrating world music talent by both supporting existing performers through new collaborations and enabling younger musicians to develop and hone their skills.

The scheme offers both parties the opportunity to share their musical experiences and emphasises the importance of the mentor passing on his extensive musical experience and cultural heritage to the younger musician.

Performance is key to the project and the musicians will feature in ´óÏó´«Ã½ studio sessions, workshops, performance and concerts.

World Routes celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2010 and, since its launch, the programme has profiled artists like the world music stars Youssou N'Dour, Caetano Veloso and Cesaria Evora, as well as making unique field recordings of little-known local musicians from all over Africa to Latin America, the Middle East to the Far East, and from Europe to North America.

In addition to following Khyam and Ilham's progress throughout the first Radio 3 World Routes Academy, the programme takes a wider look at Iraqi music and cultural traditions.

The forthcoming collaboration between Khyam Allami and Ilham al-Madfai reflects the development of traditions amongst musical refugees in their new homes and how their desire to fit in with their new environment is both challenged and inspired by their yearning for the land that made them the musicians they are.

Ilham left Iraq for Jordan and his musical influences reflect western influences and genres. Khyam's family left Iraq for Syria and then London and it seems that as he travels further from his homeland the closer he is drawn to his roots and the core musical traditions of his native Iraq.

Andrew Kurowksi, Editor of New and Specialist Music, Radio 3, says: "World Routes has explored the diversity of musical traditions and performance history across the globe since it was first broadcast in 2000. Building on this legacy, the Radio 3 World Routes Academy aims to foster artistic collaboration and support young talent. It offers listeners the unique opportunity to follow musicians from different generations as they celebrate their cultural heritage and share ideas."

Information and updates about the scheme will be available on the station's website giving listeners a glimpse into each aspect of this creative journey and joining the wealth of archive material available in the world music section on the Radio 3 website.

Notes to Editors

World Routes is broadcast on Saturdays at 3.00pm. Lucy Duran presents music from around the world featuring a mix of interviews with top performers, live concerts, a monthly CD round-up, and special location features.

Biographies:

Khyam Allami

Khyam Allami is a young and active London-based musician of Iraqi descent. Born to an Iraqi family in Damascus, Syria, in 1981 and brought up in London from the age of nine. His passion for music began in Syria at the age of eight when he began studying the violin for a role in the Syrian Art House film al-Tahaleb (1991 Dir. Rimon Butrus).

From the violin his interests moved towards rock and in 1996 began to play drums and bass guitar. In 2004 his interests took a turn once again and he began to study the 'Ud (or Oud – Arabic Lute), Arabic music theory and traditional Iraqi repertoire with the London-based Iraqi maestro Ehsan Emam with whom he continues to study today.

Khyam graduated with a BA Honours in Music Studies (Ethnomusicology) from the University of London in June 2008. Throughout his BA, his studies focused on the 'Ud, the music of the Arab world, North Indian classical music and the Mugham tradition of Azerbaijan. During this period he also studied Indian Tabla for one-and-a-half years with Guruji Sanju Sahai. Currently he is completing a Masters in Performance as Research which focuses on the Iraqi 'Ud school, its influences and development, those being the Turkish and Egyptian 'Ud schools alongside the classical and folk music of Iraq.

Ilham al-Madfai

Ilham's musical talent began to develop at the age of 12. He is still a guitarist at heart. He formed his first musical band in the Sixties and they were the first band in Iraq that used "modern" instruments (guitar, drums, bass and piano) in playing Arabic music. Ilham pioneered Arabic-world music crossover. He was the first to modernise traditional and folklore Arabic songs.

Ilham came to England to study architecture. He returned to Baghdad and subsequently introduced Spanish guitar rhythms to the Iraqi folklore song. He again left Iraq in 1979 and travelled to different countries but in 1990 he returned to Baghdad and decided to restart his musical career. His band Firqat Ilham performed music that combines his own music with world music. He continues to work on musical arrangements which feature his own mix of beats and instruments joining Arabic music with international tunes.

Ilham has played a significant and major role in the development of Arabic rich musical heritage through his unique continuous new arrangement of classical Arabic songs.

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