CMA has introduced Arabic music learning to its curriculum to expand its musical diversity. It reflects the deeper educational principle of relevance.

As education systems across the UAE continue to evolve, the focus is shifting steadily toward holistic development where emotional wellbeing, cognitive growth, and creativity are seen as essential components of learning, not optional extras.

At the Centre for Musical Arts (CMA), this philosophy is already being put into practice through structured music education programmes and new culturally grounded initiatives, including the launch of its first Arabic Music Programme featuring the oud.

For Founder and Executive Director Tala Badri, music has always been inseparable from academic development.

“I’ve never seen music as something separate from academics. It supports it in very real ways,” she explains. “When a child learns an instrument, they’re developing focus, memory, and problem-solving without even realising it. It also teaches discipline and consistency.”

This alignment between music and cognitive development is increasingly supported by research, and reflected in classroom outcomes.

“The changes are quite noticeable over time,” Badri says. “Children become more focused, they listen better, and their confidence grows—especially in those who might start off quite shy. You also see improvements in language and communication, particularly with younger children. But what stands out most is the sense of achievement.”

That sense of achievement, she notes, is often what transforms a child’s relationship with learning itself.

“Music gives them something very tangible to work towards, and that builds real confidence.”

One of the most significant recent developments at CMA is the introduction of Arabic music learning into its curriculum. Beyond expanding musical diversity, the initiative reflects a deeper educational principle: relevance.

“When both children and adults see their own culture or the culture that they are living in reflected in what they’re learning, the connection is much stronger,” Badri explains. “It’s not just about adding another instrument. It’s about making music education feel relevant to where we are and who we are.”

As schools across the UAE explore ways to strengthen holistic learning models, Badri believes music must move beyond its traditional position as an extracurricular subject.

“If music continues to sit on the sidelines, it will always be seen as optional,” she says. “Schools that truly integrate it into the timetable and link it to other areas of learning see the benefits very quickly.”

However, integration alone is not enough. Accessibility remains a critical factor, particularly for families balancing time, cost, and competing priorities.

“The biggest barriers are cost, time, and perception,” she notes. “In uncertain times, music is often seen as something that can wait. We’ve tried to respond by being more flexible—short-term packages, waiving registration fees, offering lessons in different formats.”

For CMA, the goal is not simply to teach music, but to embed it more naturally into the fabric of education and development.

“The aim is simple,” Badri concludes. “Make it easier for families to keep music in their lives, even if it’s just for now.”

As the UAE continues to expand its vision for education, music is increasingly being recognised not as an accessory to learning but as one of its most quietly powerful foundations.