Answer to Question 1
Jews, Christians, and Muslims
. . . many cultural attributes, from liturgical texts and stories, to traditions of religious chant, to philosophical ideas regarding mysticism.
the theoretical building blocks of music (scales, rhythms, and forms); the material culture of music (families of related instruments); the relationship of language, poetry and storytelling to music; and musical aesthetics (the power and beauty associated with making and experiencing music)
Answer to Question 2
clarification of terminology: the Middle East, the Arab world, and the Muslim world
listening to a call to prayer with a discussion of the relationship between music, spirituality, and Islamic practice, and the surrounding history
an interview with an Iraqi performer/composer and refugee in the U.S.
music and history of the Western Arab world (maghrib): Jewish Sephardic music
women's communal music-making in North African wedding rituals
poetry in Arab culture: music and poetry and improvisation in both media
the music of Israel and the Palestinian territories; listening to music that highlights the roots and routes of Arab music
An example of local music that has gone global: Ofra Haza, a Yemeni-Israeli singer (and also an example of music from the Arab Gulf/Arabian Peninsula)
Categories and Terminology: Middle East, Arab World, Muslim World
Muslim World: The religion of Islam is prominent throughout the Arab world and the Middle East; however, only about 20 of the world's Muslims (people of the Islamic religion) live in the Arab world, and the majority of Muslims live in South and Southeast Asia. In fact, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh have the largest Muslim populations.