UAE National Orchestra Debut Concert The Beginning Celebrates Emirati Heritage And Unity

The UAE National Orchestra launched its public journey with debut concert The Beginning at Emirates Palace Auditorium in Abu Dhabi, presenting 70 musicians and 30 choir members. The programme honoured Emirati musical roots while shaping a new national orchestral sound. H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended, with ministers, ambassadors and cultural leaders, as the audience responded with sustained applause and a standing ovation.

The Beginning now moves beyond Abu Dhabi, with performances scheduled across the Emirates throughout January as part of the UAE National Orchestra’s first season. Further concerts are planned in February and March 2026, signalling a long-term commitment to regular symphonic activity. The series is designed to introduce audiences nationwide to the orchestra’s evolving sound and its approach to heritage-based composition and performance.

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Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State and Chairperson of the UAE National Orchestra, framed the evening as the start of a broader cultural project. Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi said: "Music has a unique ability to bring people together. It helps us understand one another, stirs emotion, and deepens our sense of belonging. The UAE National Orchestra was created with this purpose in mind. It stands as a national institution that celebrates who we are, honours our heritage, and reflects the confidence and pride that define the Emirates. This inaugural concert marked the beginning of a long and ambitious journey, inviting audiences to be part of a musical movement that reflects the values, creativity, and unity of our nation."

Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi, Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra, underlined how the debut linked past and future. Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi said: "Rooted in heritage and forward-looking in spirit, the UAE National Orchestra reflects the pride, ambition and cultural confidence of our nation. This debut concert was not only about presenting music, but about honouring where our sound comes from and sharing how it will evolve. Bringing our musicians and voices together on one stage marked the beginning of a national orchestra that belongs to the UAE and speaks to audiences across the country."

The artistic direction for The Beginning highlighted dialogue between traditions, according to Amine Kouider, Artistic Director and Conductor of the UAE National Orchestra. Amine Kouider said: "This concert was a declaration of the UAE National Orchestra’s musical identity. By bringing Arabic and Western traditions together on one stage, we created a dialogue that reflects the spirit of the UAE. From the distinct voices of regional instruments to the power of the full orchestra and choir, the programme allowed the music to speak with unity and emotional depth. This debut marked the beginning of a sound that will continue to grow and resonate across the Emirates."

The main programme that followed the introductory segment combined Arabic repertoire and Western orchestral writing. Audiences heard Alexander Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor in an oriental orchestral arrangement. The programme also included Alisamadim by Ercan Saatçi and Kaybolan Yıllar by Sezen Aksu, arranged for qanun and orchestra. Works by oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma, Ishraq and Journey of Souls, were performed with qanun soloist Aytaç Doğan and the full ensemble.

The concert reached its peak with the world premiere of The Beginning, an Emirati Symphony composed by Nadim Tarabay. The large-scale work was written as a tribute to the UAE’s musical journey, drawing inspiration from the country’s culture, history and landscape. It is rooted in traditional Emirati musical forms such as Ayyalat Al-Ain, Ayyalat Al Sahiliya, Nadbet Al Shehouh, Harbiyya Razfa and Mawal Al Azi, whose rhythms and melodies were reshaped for a modern symphonic setting.

The Beginning and UAE National Orchestra links to heritage

Before the main orchestral pieces, audiences experienced a specially created opening performance that explored the origins of music in Emirati life. This segment was designed as a symbolic journey through melody, rhythm, voice and place. It showed how music in the UAE developed from poetry, shared memory, community gatherings and the surrounding natural environment, forming the emotional base for everything that followed on stage.

The heritage-focused opening drew from key traditional forms including Taghrooda, Al-Ayyala, Al-Ahalla and Nadba. Through these styles, the performance illustrated how early vocal and rhythmic expressions carried stories of endurance, unity and belonging. It highlighted how music helped preserve local customs, strengthen community ties and define a shared identity passed down between generations across the Emirates.

By presenting this heritage sequence first, the UAE National Orchestra set the cultural tone for the evening. The opening connected the country’s musical past to the orchestra’s emerging national sound, indicating how the ensemble plans to carry these forms forward. This structure also positioned The Beginning as a reference point for future concerts in the series, which will continue touring the Emirates as part of the inaugural season.

The presence of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with senior officials, diplomats and cultural figures, underscored the evening’s national importance. The audience reaction, including emotional responses, extended applause and a full standing ovation, reflected both appreciation for the performances and recognition of the concert’s symbolic role in the UAE’s cultural life and shared musical narrative.

The debut of the UAE National Orchestra with The Beginning established a clear artistic direction built on heritage, collaboration and nationwide reach. Through a blend of traditional Emirati forms, Arabic repertoire and Western symphonic writing, the orchestra presented a sound that reflects the UAE’s identity. With further performances planned across the Emirates into March 2026, this inaugural season is set to develop that musical vision in front of diverse audiences.

With inputs from WAM