Professor of Musicology & Ethnomusicology, World Expert on Saudi Music, Arabian Heritage, Higher Education, Renaissance Music
Lisa Urkevich, PhD
د. ليسا
Selected Media Coverage
 Dr Lisa launches new music center in Saudi Arabia https://pressnewsnow.com/articles/42152#google_vignette |  Dr. Lisa, leading world specialist on the music and heritage of the Arabian Peninsula featured on The Guest Show Podcast and Radio Kuwait |  March 4, 2021, https://youtu.be/bkF8nldYg5I |
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 |  Feb 16, 2020, Renaissance Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nezYqY9AqAw |  |
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 Hala Kuwait 30 minute TV special on Dr. Lisa and her research. Dec. 2015. |  |  |
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 Urkevich appointed General Editor of the College Music Society Symposium |  Urkevich on front page |  Well received lecture on Arabian Music |
 Harvard University Lecture |  Urkevich interviewed |  Urkevich interviewed |
 |  Dr. Urkevich explores Soundscapes of the Hijaz |  |
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 "Researching the music of the Arabian Gulf is not easy, but Dr. Lisa Urkevich, despite being an "outsider" has done that and more. Over the years....she has relentlessly worked to document, preserve and showcase the traditional music and dance of the region. As founder and director of the "Arabian Heritage Project" (2006 to 2011), she also organized the Al Kout Festival, which inspired her students and the public at large to not only return to their roots, but to celebrate them." |  “THE BEST MUSICAL EVENING I HAVE EVER ATTENDED IN MY WHOLE LIFE.” A lecture given by Dr.Lisa with Bin Hussein`s Musical Band. Dr.Lisa Urkevich The only person in Kuwait who makes you feel extremely proud when she explains each type of music psychologically and artistically. But the problem is that every time I attend one of her lectures, I regret not knowing her before I entered university, I feel if I had met her before, many things would have changed in my life. |  |
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 |  "At every occasion when I visit [the sea band] I see Dr. Lisa with cameras and all the necessary equipment...I notice her writing notes and hints, penning observations and questions...." "She is very strict [said her student], dealing with the subject in accord to the highest level of professionalism...she talks to us as if she is the Kuwaiti, not us!" |  "To attend on of Dr. Urkevich's presentations is a rare treat..." |
 |  ...young people are more interested in music programs like "Star Academy", "Gulf Star" etc ... while they are unaware of their traditional music. It is astounding that an American faculty member Dr. Lisa knows more about traditional music than locals. |  |
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 "Fortunately scholars like Dr Lisa Urkevich with their abiding interest in the traditional music of the region have spent long years of research and have amassed invaluable information on subjects such as this... It is not easy to gain access into the inner world of Saudi Arabia, one of the most closed countries in the world. But Dr Urkevich achieved it and soon found her- self spending years conducting research on Saudi music." |  Dr. Urkevich and the Al-Amiri Band |  |
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Selected Media Coverage
TELEVISION/PODCAST/YOUTUBE/RADIO
• Featured on Podcast and Radio Kuwait-"Dr. Lisa leading world specialist on the music and traditions of the Arabian Peninsula on The Guest Show," https://www.facebook.com/100063912679014/videos/1179431783000861/
• Featured guest on AFIKRA, Film, Music, and Pop Culture, March 4, 2021,1 hour interview with audience questions, https://youtu.be/bkF8nldYg5I
• Featured guest on Hala Kuwait television program, Dec. 6, 2015. 30 minute interview on Urkevich and her research including Harvard Fellowship.
• Featured guest on Good Morning Kuwait television program, May 1, 2013. Interview with Urkevich on her research on Makkah music.
• Featured guest on Saudi Television, KSA 2 (TV.Channel.2) Jeddah, April 14, 2012. Thirty-minute interview with journalist Zeiad M Alsufiani in which Urkevich discussed her fieldwork in the Kingdom. Aired several times throughout the year.
• Featured guest on "Colors," Jeddah Radio Program, April 16, 2012. Urkevich discussed leading traditional artists of Saudi Arabia.
• Featured special about Urkevich on Banatu Bes television program, aired March 28-29, 2011. Watan TV, Kuwait.
• Featured guest on Good Morning Kuwait television program, March 31, 2009. Interview with Urkevich as the founder of the Arabian Heritage Project and the Al Kout Festival
• Urkevich Lecture-Concert on Kuwaiti Sea Songs, Broadcast on Bahry Television, Nov. 29, 2007 and re-aired several times through 2008.
• Featured guest on Good Morning Kuwait television program, Oct. 14, 2003. Interview with Urkevich as a US Senior Fulbright Scholar in Kuwait.
NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, DIGITAL MEDIA
• Press News, Jan 2024, New director Dr. Lisa Urkevich "Celebrating the opening of the "Tariq Abdulhakim Center" of the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia https://pressnewsnow.com/articles/42152#google_vignette
• Arab Times, May 14, 2018, “Tuned to Terrain, Tradition.” Urkevich discusses fieldwork covering thousands of Peninsula miles" FRONT PAGE, and p.15.
• Kipco Life, April 2018, “AUK Professor Appointed General Editor of Music Symposium.” Vol. 6, April 2018, p. 15. http://www.kipco.com/frontend/Flipbookmobile/KIPCOLIFE_61/KIPCOlife_61Eng/index.html
• Kuwait Times, Feb. 6, 2018, “AUK's Newly Appointed General Editor of Music Society, Lisa Urkevich," p. 24.
• AlBawaba, Dec. 19, 2017, "Exaggerating Reform: 4 Saudi ‘Firsts’ That Were Actually Old News," by Rosie Alfatlawi [citing Urkevich's researching attesting to a long history of female musicians in the country] https://www.albawaba.com/loop/exaggerating-reform-4-saudi-%E2%80%98firsts%E2%80%99-were-actually-old-news-1063682
• Al-Fanar Media, March 30, 2017, “Omani Music Masks A Slave Trading Past” by Benjamin Placket. Urkevich interviewed. http://www.al-fanarmedia.org/2017/03/omani-music-masks-unpleasant-past/
• Gulf News, UAE, April 15, 2016. “Forget Scotland—Bagpipes are Originally from the Gulf” by Joseph Gedeon. Urkevich interviewed. http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/culture/forget-scotland-bagpipes-are-originally-from-the-gulf-1.1713393
• Kuwait Times, Feb. 22, 2016, “A Book Talk by Lisa Urkevich in Celebration of Kuwait National Day,” p. 30.
• Arab Times, Nov. 4, 2015, “AUK Prof Dr Lisa Urkevich Appointed Harvard Visiting Scholar, University of Maryland Alumna of the Year,” p.26.
• Al Rai, Nov. 4, 2015, [in Arabic] “American: Urkevich Made Visiting Scholar at Harvard.” “Alamrykyt: taeyin awrkyfyt bahithat zayirat fi "harvard.”
• Al Jarida, April 29, 2015, [in Arabic, “Urkevich: Kuwait played a major role in Developing Music of the Arabian Peninsula]
• Al Rai, April 30, 2015, [in Arabic, “Urkevich lectured during the Dar Al Ahtar AlIslamiyya Season”]
• Arab Times, April 30, 2015, “Khaliji Music Flourished in Kuwait:” Urkevich presented a fascinating lecture…”
• Al Madina (Saudi Arabia), May 9, 2013, "Khabeera bl jame3a el amrikeyya: Mecca Al Mokarramah min akthar al marakez al thaqafeyyah thara'an fy al a'alam" [An expert at the American University: Makkah is one of the most affluent cultural centers in the world]
• Okaz, (Jeddah), Jan 21, 2013, "Bahthh amrykyh twthq alflklwr als'ewdy fy alta'ef" [American researcher documenting folklore in Taif, Saudi Arabia]
• Ikhbaryh Ha'il (Ha'il News, Saudi Arabia) Dec. 23, 2012, "Ahthh amrykyh twthِq altrath alha'ely alflklwry balfydyw w... [American Researcher Documents Ha'il Heritage and Folklore] http://www.hailnews.net/hail/news-action-show-id-32920.htm
• Al Watan (Jeddah), May 16, 2013, "Al Thaqafa: "Al Dana" al makkeyya fy omseya kuwaiteyyah [A Kuwaiti evening of Makkan Danah]
• Al Madina (Saudi Arabia), Dec. 29, 2012, "Bahetha amrikeyyah towasel al ta'3arrof ala el fonoon al sha'abeyyah al so'odeyyah b "layla makkaweyyah" ..." [American researcher continues to recognize Arabian Folk Arts: "Mekkaweh Night" and Heritage Qassim, Hail, and Taif: Culture and Arts Society in Jeddah celebrates it]
• Al Watan (Jeddah), May 5, 2012, Al Thaqafa: Urkevich tootheq ghena'a al hejaz fy mathaf al torath al alamy [Urkevich documents the Hijaz singing at the Museum of World Heritage]
• Al Riyadh Jan. 23, 2013, "Bahthh amrykyh twthq alflklwr alsh'eby bmdynh alta'ef [American Researcher Documents the Folklore of Ta'if]
• Dayra, Dec. 6, 2011 "Lecture by Dr. Lisa Urkevich"
• Arab Times, Dec.14, 2011, " Dr. Urkevich Explores Soundscapes of the Hijaz
• Al-Medinah newspaper (Medina, Saudi Arabia) “American Academic Documents Folksongs. May 12, 2012.
•Al Jarida, “Urkevich lectures on the Musical Heritage in the Hijaz,” Dec. 14, 2011.
• Arab Times, “Dr. Urkevich Explores Soundscapes of the Hijaz,” Dec. 14, 2011.
• Al Seyassah, “Dar Al-Athar Al-Islammiya presents a specialist on the Music in the Hijaz,” Dec. 14, 2011.
• Al-Kuwaitiah, “A Musical Lecture at the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islammiya by Dr. Urkevich.” Dec. 15, 2011.
• Arab Times, Feb. 11. 2009, “Badawi, Ardha…the beats of Kuwaiti life: Dr. Urkevich offers a glimpse into Kuwait’s cultural heritage.”
• Al Rai, Feb. 12, 2009. “Lisa Urkevich HaThrat fi dar al-athar al asslimiya.”
• Okaz (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) Nov. 16, 2008 "Ahtmam ghrby btrath abtsam lzfy alfny rghm ahtچabha", [Western Interest in Heritage of Ibtisam Lotfi...]
• Al Seyassah, Aug. 2008, “Dr. Lisa and Sea Arts…” A plea from Sami Alenazy, the Director of Kuwait Radio to the Minister of Education requesting that other professors use “Dr. Lisa” as an example and promote Kuwaiti heritage.
• Al Qabas, Feb. 12, 2009, pg. 27. “Amseeah Moosiqiah.
• Al Awan, Feb. 11, 2009, pg. 19 “The American Urkevich discusses ‘Ardah and Badawi.”
• Arab Times, Sept. 4, 2008, “Kuwaiti folk tunes echo its heritage.” Interview about desert traditions.
• Al Watan Daily, Oct. 12, 2008, pg. 3, “American musicologist working to promote Kuwait’s cultural heritage”
• Arab Times, Oct. 23, 2009. “Kuwaiti sea songs dead, but not out.” Interview with Urkevich about local sea traditions.
•. Arab Times, Nov. 6, 2009, “Aswat—the rhythm of the learned.” Interview with Urkevich about urban genres of the Gulf.
• Arab Times, Jan. 24, 2007. “Kuwait gave birth to Sawt culture: Dr. Urkevich takes a look at the origin and evolution of art form.
• Kuwait Times, Jan. 24, 2007. “Songs of Kuwait.”
• Al-Rai,, Jan. 28, 2007. “Lisa Urkevich Tahadathat an alghinaa al-Kuwaiti wa fan Aswat.” [Lisa Urkevich talked about Kuwaiti singing and the art of Aswat]
• Al-Rai, Jan. 27, 2007, pg. 25. “Urkevich: Fan Al-Sawt Fi Al-Kuwait Tataawara ala yad Abdallah Al-Faraj.” [Urkevich: The Art of Aswat in Kuwait was developed by Abdallah Al-Faraj.]
• Al Seyassah, Jan. 24, 2007, pg. 14. “Urkevich: Lil Kuwait Dawr Raed fi ithraa wa taeseel ilm al-aswat. [Kuwait takes a leading role in cultivating an enriching musical study.]
• Al Qabas, Jan. 24, 2007, pg. 26. “Urkevich: Fan Aswat fi al-Kuwait tatawara ala yad Abdullah Al-Faraj.” [Urkevich: The Art Music in Kuwait was developed by Abdullah Al-Faraj.]
• Al Anbaa, Jan. 24, 2007. “Lisa Taktashif Al-turath al-Kuwait ala Iaa “al Mirwas.” [Lisa Discovers the Kuwaiti Tradition on the Mirwas [drum] beat]
•Al-Watan, Dec. 15, 2006, pg. 18. “Fanoon: Wa Ibtada al mishwar…The Arts: And the journey started…] Reference to the Fatoomah concert at AUK that Dr. Urkevich hosted and her knowledge of local musical heritage.
• Assiyahi Magazine, Nov./Dec. 2005, pg. 28. “Al Amrikiya Lisa: Atamara al tamayoz wa isalaho ka risala lil shaab al amreeki.” [The American “Lisa”: I wish to be the messenger of this art to the American people.] Article about Urkevich’s unique classes on music of the Arabian Peninsula offered to Kuwaiti students.
• Arabian Woman Magazine, March 2005. Includes an interview with Urkevich pertaining to music therapy and Arabian music.
• Correspondent, “Folk Music in Kuwait,” June 2004. Article about Urkevich and her work with the Bin Hussein Sea Band.
• Featured guest on Good Morning Kuwait television program, Oct. 14, 2003. Kuwait City. Interview Urkevich discussing her music research on traditional folk troupes.
• BU Bridge, “The Beat of a Different Drummer,” Tim Stoddard, March 2003. Article about Urkevich and her research in Saudi Arabia.