Saudi Gazette report

TAIF — As many as 850 male and female students at Taif University have registered for music courses to be organized by the university, Makkah daily reported on Monday.

Saleh Al-Thibaiti, the university’s spokesman, said 850 students registered to attend these courses in just four days since the registration started. He expected the number to cross 1,000 in the coming few days.

In a statement, the university said its announcement of the singing and music courses stirred great interest among the public as it was the first time a government-run academic institution in Saudi Arabia announced a music training program.

The university said the sessions were within the courses organized by its poetry academy, which focuses on poetry writing, recitation and music.

The courses will include playing oud, violin, trumpet and other musical instruments.

It said Taif University was the first university in the Kingdom to have its own musical band.

The university said the piano lessons would start next week at the poetry academy. It added the university would participate in the national and cultural events in the Kingdom with its musical band.

The winners of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Award for Arabic Poetry, with prize money worth SR1 million, will be announced on March 21, the university said in a separate statement.