Raja Zulkarnain Raja Mohd Yusof
Published : 30-6-2026
Abstract :
This autoethnographic study documents the early introduction of maqām-based learning and notation-mediated instruction into Malaysian gambus pedagogy within higher arts education. Focusing on instructional practice at Akademi Seni Kebangsaan (now ASWARA) in 2003, the article examines a pedagogical shift from predominantly oral, repertoire-based transmission toward structured modal understanding grounded in written notation and theoretical explanation. Drawing on the author’s lived experience as a tutor appointed to support gambus instruction at the institution, the study reconstructs the conditions under which maqāmāt, including Ajam, Nahawand, Rast, Kurd, Bayātī, Ḥijāz, Ṣabā and Sikah, were first introduced as conceptual systems rather than solely as performance material. The findings highlight the absence of prior formalised teaching resources, theoretical frameworks, or notationbased methodologies for gambus learning in Malaysia at the time. By situating this pedagogical intervention within its institutional and historical context, the article argues that early maqām-based instruction contributed to the reconfiguration of gambus learning as a knowledgeoriented practice, laying foundations for subsequent developments in Malaysian oud and gambus pedagogy. The study contributes to broader discussions on knowledge transmission, notation, and pedagogical transformation in orally rooted musical traditions.
Keywords: gambus pedagogy, maqām-based learning, autoethnography, music notation in oral traditions, Malaysian higher
arts education
Muat turun artikel lengkap di sini : 2289-5051_iJACH_Vol 15_Issue 2_Jun 2026