emirates7 - Building on the momentum of its first public performance at the UAE’s 54th Eid Al Etihad celebrations, the UAE National Orchestra has unveiled the artistic vision and musical philosophy shaping its inaugural season. Introduced to the nation during the official ceremony at the Zayed National Museum, this new orchestral sound now forms the foundation for a season that will be shared with audiences across all seven emirates.
The inaugural season will open with its debut public concert, The Beginning, on 15th January 2026. Full venue information will be shared once arrangements for the inaugural performance have been finalised.
Before presenting this new sound to the nation, the UAE National Orchestra has set out the principles that shape how its music is created and how it will evolve. The Orchestra’s philosophy is to bring Oriental and Western instruments together with purpose, creating a musical dialogue that reveals new colours, new expressions and a sound that belongs to the Emirates. This approach defines the Orchestra’s emerging sound and anchors the artistic choices behind the season.
Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi, Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra, said, “Rooted in heritage and forward looking, the UAE National Orchestra reflects the pride and ambition of our nation. It brings together talents from many cultures under one vision, creating music that belongs to the Emirates and connects with audiences across the country. Seeing this new orchestral voice presented during the UAE’s 54th Eid Al Etihad celebrations was a significant moment that demonstrated the depth, unity and expressive power of our national sound.
Revealing our musical philosophy and mission, and when audiences will be able to experience our sound for the first time, marks the beginning of an important chapter for the UAE National Orchestra.”
Artistic Director and Conductor, Amine Kouider, added, “Music is a language of understanding. When Arabic and Western instruments share one stage, they do more than produce sound; they engage in a conversation that reveals new meaning in the music. This season brings these traditions together in harmony, opening a space where musical ideas can meet, evolve and reflect one another. Our aim is to how dialogue through music can something both rooted and new, familiar yet forward-looking.”
With performances across all seven emirates, the inaugural season will explore how music transcends borders. Beginning 15 January 2026, each programme is designed to introduce audiences to the Orchestra’s new artistic sound and showcase the breadth of musical traditions through the lens of the UAE’s creative identity.
The season will include world premieres of original compositions created for the UAE National Orchestra, regional collaborations with leading artists, and performances by internationally acclaimed guests and conductors. The season overview includes the following programmes:
• The Beginning marks the start of a new musical vision, featuring the world premiere of our first Emirati symphonic commission.
• Faces of Love traces love’s path through melody, from its first spark to its deepest mystery. The result is a tapestry of feeling that speaks to love’s universality.
• 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.
• Once Upon a Tune invites children to discover how music tells stories, paints pictures and brings imagination to life.
• 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.
• Harmony explores what happens when Arabic and Western musical traditions meet on equal ground.
• Composed in UAE celebrates the pioneers whose music shaped the UAE’s cultural identity, featuring works by Eid Al Faraj and Ibrahim Jumaa.
• An Evening With: Conductor Xu Zhong welcomes one of China’s most distinguished conductors and pianists, for a journey between China and the UAE.
• Rhythms of the Gulf unites voices and melodies from the UAE and the wider Gulf region, reimagined for orchestra.
• 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.
Alongside the season, the Orchestra has announced its capacity-building programme, designed to support Emirati musicians in achieving instrumental excellence.
The 12-month part-time programme will train Emirati musicians through mentorship, rehearsal participation and specialist workshops in music theory, ensemble performance and instrumental excellence. Participants will be compensated for their time and commitment.
Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi added, “Supporting Emirati talent is essential to sustaining the country’s musical landscape. The capacity building programme creates a structured pathway for emerging musicians to grow, perform and take pride in representing the UAE through music. It reflects our wider commitment to developing the next generation of orchestral musicians and ensuring the UAE’s musical future is shaped by its people.”
Together, the inaugural season and capacity building programme form the foundation of the UAE National Orchestra’s mission to shape a national musical voice and the musicians who will carry it forward.
The inaugural season will open with its debut public concert, The Beginning, on 15th January 2026. Full venue information will be shared once arrangements for the inaugural performance have been finalised.
Before presenting this new sound to the nation, the UAE National Orchestra has set out the principles that shape how its music is created and how it will evolve. The Orchestra’s philosophy is to bring Oriental and Western instruments together with purpose, creating a musical dialogue that reveals new colours, new expressions and a sound that belongs to the Emirates. This approach defines the Orchestra’s emerging sound and anchors the artistic choices behind the season.
Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi, Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra, said, “Rooted in heritage and forward looking, the UAE National Orchestra reflects the pride and ambition of our nation. It brings together talents from many cultures under one vision, creating music that belongs to the Emirates and connects with audiences across the country. Seeing this new orchestral voice presented during the UAE’s 54th Eid Al Etihad celebrations was a significant moment that demonstrated the depth, unity and expressive power of our national sound.
Revealing our musical philosophy and mission, and when audiences will be able to experience our sound for the first time, marks the beginning of an important chapter for the UAE National Orchestra.”
Artistic Director and Conductor, Amine Kouider, added, “Music is a language of understanding. When Arabic and Western instruments share one stage, they do more than produce sound; they engage in a conversation that reveals new meaning in the music. This season brings these traditions together in harmony, opening a space where musical ideas can meet, evolve and reflect one another. Our aim is to how dialogue through music can something both rooted and new, familiar yet forward-looking.”
With performances across all seven emirates, the inaugural season will explore how music transcends borders. Beginning 15 January 2026, each programme is designed to introduce audiences to the Orchestra’s new artistic sound and showcase the breadth of musical traditions through the lens of the UAE’s creative identity.
The season will include world premieres of original compositions created for the UAE National Orchestra, regional collaborations with leading artists, and performances by internationally acclaimed guests and conductors. The season overview includes the following programmes:
• The Beginning marks the start of a new musical vision, featuring the world premiere of our first Emirati symphonic commission.
• Faces of Love traces love’s path through melody, from its first spark to its deepest mystery. The result is a tapestry of feeling that speaks to love’s universality.
• 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.
• Once Upon a Tune invites children to discover how music tells stories, paints pictures and brings imagination to life.
• 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.
• Harmony explores what happens when Arabic and Western musical traditions meet on equal ground.
• Composed in UAE celebrates the pioneers whose music shaped the UAE’s cultural identity, featuring works by Eid Al Faraj and Ibrahim Jumaa.
• An Evening With: Conductor Xu Zhong welcomes one of China’s most distinguished conductors and pianists, for a journey between China and the UAE.
• Rhythms of the Gulf unites voices and melodies from the UAE and the wider Gulf region, reimagined for orchestra.
• 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.
Alongside the season, the Orchestra has announced its capacity-building programme, designed to support Emirati musicians in achieving instrumental excellence.
The 12-month part-time programme will train Emirati musicians through mentorship, rehearsal participation and specialist workshops in music theory, ensemble performance and instrumental excellence. Participants will be compensated for their time and commitment.
Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi added, “Supporting Emirati talent is essential to sustaining the country’s musical landscape. The capacity building programme creates a structured pathway for emerging musicians to grow, perform and take pride in representing the UAE through music. It reflects our wider commitment to developing the next generation of orchestral musicians and ensuring the UAE’s musical future is shaped by its people.”
Together, the inaugural season and capacity building programme form the foundation of the UAE National Orchestra’s mission to shape a national musical voice and the musicians who will carry it forward.