usuli music

apply now for the new usuli music fellowship!

“It was as though the music I heard… expressed a primordial beauty left concealed only for human beings to uncover. Like the physical laws of nature, God created them, but human beings discover and harness these laws to their benefit. It was as if God had created the secret of this

rhythmic beauty but left it hidden only to be found and restructured to pay homage to the very idea of beauty.”

Khaled Abou El Fadl, Reasoning with God, 2014: p. 282)

In his book, Reasoning with God, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl explains how his experiences with classical music allowed him to gain greater insight into the beauty of the Qur’an. At The Usuli Institute, we are proud to support Muslim musicians as part of our mission. We have already sponsored two albums by the gifted Muslim musician, Wietske Merison (Witness, 2023; and Reminder, 2024), recorded at Vaughan Music Studios in Columbus, Ohio. Now, we are excited to offer the same opportunity to another U.S.-based Muslim musician or group through the new Usuli Music Fellowship. The selected Usuli Music Fellows will work under the mentorship of Wietske Merison in preparation to professionally record an album at Vaughan Music Studios, sponsored by The Usuli Institute.

The Usuli Music Fellowship consists of:

• One week of studio time at Vaughan Music Studios in Columbus, Ohio (Summer 2025)
• Travel costs and accommodations in Columbus
• Audio editing and mastering provided by Vaughan Music Studios
• Assistance in creating cover art and digitally distributing your recorded album by Usuli Music
• Mentorship by Wietske Merison, including preparatory online sessions and in-studio support
• A small-scale live and live-streamed concert at The Usuli Institute

Fellowship applications are open to Muslim musicians of all ages, denominations, ethnicities, and musical genres who are current residents of the United States. Groups, such as vocal groups, string quartets, or small bands, may also apply but will need to keep in mind the limited studio

space and time in their project proposals and may be requested to share accommodations. Both professional and amateur applicants with sufficient skills may apply for the fellowship. We especially encourage musicians who perform their own original works to apply for the

fellowship, as well as musicians who have not yet professionally recorded an album. The copyrights and profits of the recorded album remain with the artist/performer, as The Usuli Institute aims to support Muslim artists without seeking profit. Of course, donations to keep the

program running are highly appreciated.

To apply for the Usuli Music Fellowship, please provide us with:

• A cover letter introducing yourself and your music
• Your project proposal, including an hour-by-hour plan for how you wish to spend your five days of studio time (up to 6 hours per day)
• Make sure to include your preferred dates for the studio recording week within the range of March-August 2025
• Three recordings of your work, preferably shared via YouTube (public or restricted link) or Google Drive.

These documents may be submitted to music@usuli.org up until December 31st, 2024.

Incomplete applications (e.g. missing recordings or a cover letter) will not be considered. After the first round of applications, selected applicants will be invited for an online interview. We aim to respond to all applicants before February 1st , 2025.

Further questions can also be directed to music@usuli.org. We look forward to hearing from you!