The Abu Dhabi Festival contributes to consolidating the UAE’s position in the global cultural scene
ABU DHABI, 21st November / WAM / Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, honorary founding sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Festival, the Abu Dhabi Festival’s program abroad continues its mission to consolidate cultural dialogue between peoples through a series of musical events and intellectual dialogue sessions in the United States during the month of November.
The festival presented three main events within its program in the United States: the American premiere of the album “Shams of My Judy” by composer and musician “Abyad Faraj,” which was held at the “The Symphony Space Peter Jay Sharp” Theater on Broadway; The world premiere of the opera “Journey to the New World,” presented by the Symphony Orchestra of the Queen Sofia College of Music in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Festival at Carnegie Hall, with the participation of the brilliant Emirati cellist Ilham Al Marzouqi; In addition to two dialogue sessions within the “Arts in Embassies” initiative, hosted by the UAE Embassy in Washington and the UAE Mission to the United Nations, celebrating the role of art and music in building cultural bridges and promoting human dialogue.
Her Excellency Hoda Ibrahim Al Khamis, founder of the Abu Dhabi Group for Culture and Arts, founder and artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, stressed the importance of the international partnerships of the Abu Dhabi Festival and the Abu Dhabi Group for Culture and Arts with major cultural institutions, festivals and international music colleges, in embodying the spirit of music, artistic excellence and creative integration between artists, through joint production works and exclusive commissions, saying: “In partnership with the Queen Sofia College of Music, and within the framework of the memorandum of understanding that we signed in 2015, we contribute to strengthening the Emirati presence and international cultural cooperation, and supporting creative people from the Emirates and the world.”
Her Excellency added: “Within the program of the Abu Dhabi Festival Abroad, we are presenting the work of the artist Faraj Abyad “Shams of My Being” for the first time in the United States of America, and the world premiere performance by the Symphony Orchestra from the Queen Sofia College of Music, in the prestigious Carnegie Hall, with the masterpieces of the great composers Albéniz, Barber and Dvořák, led by Maestro Andrés Orozco-Estrada, accompanied by the famous French violinist Renaud Capuçon, with the participation of the brilliant Emirati cellist. Ilham Al Marzouki, and a selection of musicians from the Colombian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.”
She continued: “We are also organizing two dialogue seminars within the leading cultural diplomacy initiative, ‘Arts in Embassies’, in partnership with the UAE Embassy in Washington, and the UAE Mission to the United Nations, to celebrate the role of arts and music in building bridges of international cooperation and cultural dialogue.”
In celebration of cultural diversity and creative interaction between East and West, Syrian composer and musician Faraj Abyad presented musical works from his new album “Shams of My Being” commissioned by the Abu Dhabi Festival on the stage of the Peter J. The unity of human creativity across cultures.
The artist excelled in a distinctive Arabic classical musical performance, which included a bouquet of popular Syrian songs and muwashshahs, which he re-presented with a new vision that blends Afro-Cuban jazz with Western classical influences, in a musical dialogue that embodies the convergence of cultures. The show was accompanied by a visual artistic experience from the work of the Barjeel Arts Foundation, where the paintings were coordinated to keep pace with the music in artistic harmony that added depth to the experience and gave it multiple sensory and aesthetic dimensions.
The concert also witnessed the debut of the “Athar” Orchestra, a New York band that includes musicians from various musical schools, from classical and jazz to Arabic and microtonal music, which performed using high-performance “O” loudspeakers. or. A Bromma Scottsdale Concert, which is one of the most advanced and leading sound systems in the field of live music performances.
The Abu Dhabi Festival and Queen Sofia College of Music presented the world premiere of the opera “Journey to the New World” at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City on November 13.
The event constituted an exceptional platform that brought together Emirati talent and an elite group of international artists, in an artistic dialogue that reflected the communication and convergence of cultures and nations from different parts of the world.
The concert witnessed the debut of the Reina Sofia School of Music Orchestra on the Carnegie Hall stage. The evening was led by Maestro Andreas Orozco-Estrada, principal conductor of both the Reina Sofía School of Music Orchestra and the Colombian Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, while the famous French violinist Renaud Capuçon gave a distinguished performance, as this diversity among the ranks of the players embodied the international spirit of the three institutions, combining artistic excellence with the values of cultural exchange.
The concert highlighted the talent of Elham Al Marzouqi and her distinction as the first professional Emirati cellist, as she participated in playing alongside musicians from the Colombian Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. Al Marzouqi is considered one of the Emirati faces who are always present at the Abu Dhabi Festival, as she participated in its own productions and performed with prominent international orchestras. Her most recent appearance was in 2025 with Herbie Hancock during the International Stars Concert on the occasion of World Jazz Day in Abu Dhabi, celebrating Abu Dhabi as a UNESCO City of Music.
The performance took the audience on a rich and moving musical journey that began with Albéniz’s “El Puerto” from the Iberian Peninsula, a short and lively five-minute work arranged by E. F. Arbus. It was followed by Barber’s Violin Concerto, Work No. 14, which extended over 23 minutes and was characterized by lyrical depth and high artistic precision. The evening concluded with Dvořák’s famous Ninth Symphony, “From the New World”, in a performance that lasted 42 minutes.
Within the framework of the pioneering cultural diplomacy initiative “Arts in Embassies,” the festival’s guest artists participated in two distinguished dialogue seminars, the first held in New York on November 14, and the second in Washington, D.C., on November 18.
The sessions were organized in cooperation with the UAE Embassy in Washington and the UAE Mission to the United Nations, where the dialogues addressed the impact of music in strengthening bridges of communication and understanding between cultures, emphasizing the festival’s commitment to cultural diplomacy and highlighting Emirati creativity on the global stage.
Under the title “Music is a Bridge to Cultural Communication,” a dialogue session was held in New York with the participation of Emirati cellist Ilham Al Marzouqi, composer and musician Faraj Abyad, and clarinet player Kenan Al Azma, while Washington, DC, hosted the second session that brought together Al Marzouqi, Abyad, and Kate Seeley, Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Middle East Institute, to explore their experiences and discuss the essential role that music can play in building bridges of communication between peoples.
Through its program abroad, the Abu Dhabi Festival continues to consolidate its message of promoting cultural dialogue and sharing the creative spirit of the United Arab Emirates with the world.
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