In a night of art in which the masterpieces of international symphonies were mixed with feelings of loyalty and gratitude to the homeland, the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation Theater witnessed a large audience attended by a high-caliber artistic and musical evening, entitled “In the Love of the Emirates,” by the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Riad Qudsi, with the participation of the Dubai Chamber Music Orchestra, the “Elfa” Choir, and the artist Somar Najjar, accompanied by Ali. Piano by Naila Mahramova.
After the Emirati national anthem was played, the Al Owais Theater witnessed the first surprise of the concert, with five-year-old Huioran Wang, accompanied by Kyle Fernandez, presenting to greet the audience, and then playing “Ode to Joy” by the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, so that the purity of childhood filled the atmosphere of the show, and the melodies of music touched the hearts of the audience.
From that first creative moment, the Youth Orchestra took the audience on a cross-border journey whose stops varied between the warmth of the “Spring Concerto” and the cold of the “Winter Concerto” from Vivaldi’s masterpiece The Four Seasons, with a fine sense of the players Yiqing Liu and Lana Qudsi, then “Hungarian Dance No. 5” by Brahms, and “A Little Musical Evening” by Mozart, completing the global palette with Rossini’s creations and Vinavsky’s “Oriental Fantasia.” And the pieces “Rush E” and “Dance of Swords” by Natan Benitez, in addition to the “Twinkle Twinkle” variations presented by the fingertips of four young violinists, dedicating the experience of distinguished musical playing that broke the barriers of age.
New distributions
In a parallel station, the concert moved in harmony to embrace the spirit of the Emirati musical heritage, while local melodies were not present to embody a passing segment in the concert, but rather were reformulated to shine in a symphonic form with the voice of the artist Sumer Najjar, while the audience swayed during this segment, with the orchestral arrangement of the song “Dar Zayed” by Mehad Hamad, “O Most Precious Homeland” by Fayez Al Saeed, and “Your Love in the Middle of the Heart” by Khaled Nasser.
The cultural cohesion reached its peak with “Songs from the Emirates,” a piece written by Maestro Qudsi, inspired by the rhythms of authentic traditional music, crowned with the poetry of Dr. Talal Al-Junaibi. As for the young musician Aarav Dayal, he dazzled the audience with the violin solo he presented with the piano for one of the famous popular songs. The choir’s voices also echoed the song “We Love the Emirates,” by Diaa Al-Sukari, to dissolve the differences between Western instruments and the Eastern spirit.
Universal language
Regarding this harmony between classical forms and the local spirit, Maestro Riad Qudsi emphasized to “Emirates Today” that music is a global language capable of transcending geographical borders, and is also able to express the identity of peoples, adding: “Our goal was not merely to combine them, but rather to create an integrated musical dialogue in which the aesthetic values of symphonic music are in harmony with the melodies and rhythms inspired by the Emirati environment.”
He continued: “The participation of Eastern instruments alongside Western ones helped create sound colors that reflect the spirit of the place, and my experience, which extends for more than 50 years, and my academic studies in Prague, enabled me to achieve this balance. “This has strengthened my conviction that authenticity and openness are not opposites, but rather two complementary elements for presenting local heritage in a sophisticated and globally understood language.”
Regarding the experience of leading this diverse mix, which includes musicians between the ages of five and 16, along with the professionals, the maestro explained: “This experience represents a human model that brings together different generations, as the young musicians gain direct practical experience from the professionals, which enhances their self-confidence and consolidates the values of discipline in them.”
He continued regarding the role of cultural institutions in enhancing the role of art and music in the local cultural scene: “The Al Owais Foundation plays a pivotal role in supporting the cultural movement, and its embrace of these events contributes to consolidating orchestral art in the Emirati scene, and gives young talents real opportunities to give.”
An expression of loyalty
Maestro Riyad Qudsi said, “The vast majority of the members of the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra belong to different nationalities, but they gathered today at the Al Owais Cultural Foundation to express their love and loyalty to the Emirates, which provided them with security and embraced their talents. Therefore, I believe that the audience sensed this message, and realized that love for the Emirates and loyalty to it is a sincere feeling that unites everyone who is blessed to live on its good land.”
• “The Evening” included the participation of the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Dubai Chamber Music Orchestra, the Elfa Choir and others.
