'Beginning' a milestone for National Orchestra: Sheikha Alia Al Qassimi

The UAE National Orchestra has announced the guest artists and January performance dates for "The Beginning," its inaugural concert series, marking the first time the orchestra’s full ensemble of 70 musicians and 30 choir members will perform for live audiences across the UAE as part of its opening season.

The series opens with the UAE National Orchestra’s debut concert on 15th January 2026 at Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi, before continuing with performances in Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah throughout January.

Together, the concerts reflect the UAE National Orchestra’s mission to bring orchestral music to communities across the country and to establish a shared national sound.

Programmes will vary across the Emirates, with guest soloists appearing in selected performances.

Performances in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will feature acclaimed Iraqi oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma, one of the Arab world’s most influential musicians, alongside Turkish qanun master Aytaç Doğan. Their appearances form part of a programme that brings Arabic and Western musical traditions into dialogue, placing regional instruments at the heart of the orchestral form.

The Orchestra also announced details of the musical programme for The Beginning, led by The Beginning, an Emirati symphony by composer Nadim Tarabay, created as a tribute to the UAE’s musical heritage.

The programme also includes Alexander Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor in an oriental orchestral arrangement, alongside works by Naseer Shamma, including Ishraq for oud and orchestra and Journey of Souls for oud and qanun.

The orchestra said the programme reflects its commitment to artistic excellence and to a musical language that brings tradition and symphonic form into meaningful dialogue.

The concert series builds on the orchestra’s first public appearance during the Eid Al Etihad official ceremony on 2nd December and represents the next step in sharing its musical identity with audiences nationwide.

"The Beginning is more than a concert. It is a declaration of creative confidence and a reflection of the UAE’s belief that culture and music can unite us in pride and possibility. It marks an important moment for the UAE National Orchestra and for audiences across the country," said Sheikha Alia Bint Khalid Al Qassimi, Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra.

She added, "Through these performances, we are sharing a sound that belongs to this country, rooted in heritage, forward-looking in spirit and shaped through a blend of music between the East and West. Performing across the Emirates is central to our purpose, and this first chapter reflects our commitment to making orchestral music part of the UAE’s cultural landscape.”

Amine Kouider, Artistic Director and Conductor of the UAE National Orchestra, said that the concert series marks the start of a new musical vision and introduces the musical identity of the UAE National Orchestra.

"Works such as Ishraq and Journey of Souls allow the oud and qanun to take a leading role, while the symphonic work by Nadim Tarabay brings the full orchestra and choir together in a powerful collective form. Collaborating with celebrated artists such as Naseer Shamma and Aytaç Doğan adds depth to this dialogue and enriches the musical experience for our audiences,” he stated.

Tickets for The Beginning concert series are now available on the UAE National Orchestra website. Tickets for the February and March performances will be released soon.

According to an earlier report, the season overview also includes the following programmes:

• Vivaldi: A Journey East asks what might have happened if the Venetian master had encountered the instruments, modes and sounds of the Arab world.

• Russian Classics showcases three extraordinary composers: Dimitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.

• Echoes of Time is inspired by the words of the poet and philosopher Ibn Arabi, and blends Arabic and Western musical traditions in a dialogue between past and present.

• Carmen in Concert invites audiences to experience a sequence of Carmen’s most iconic moments, each chosen for its emotional power and musical colour.

• A Night in Vienna transports audiences to nineteenth-century Vienna with Strauss and Lehár.

• From Screen to Stage: An Emirati Musical Story invites audiences to relive the music that shaped the nation’s cinematic and television heritage.

• Composed in UAE celebrates the pioneers whose music shaped the UAE’s cultural identity, featuring works by Eid Al Faraj and Ibrahim Jumaa.

• Three Rhapsodies One World unites three worlds of musical expression. Western classical tradition, American jazz and the emerging voice of the Emirates meet through the piano.

WAM