After a well-attended debut last month, the UAE National Orchestra is continuing its first season with a series of concerts across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah.
The 100-member orchestra made its public debut with The Beginning, a run of six concerts across five Emirates and introducing the sound of the UAE National Orchestra to audiences across the nation. More than 3,500 people attended the opening performances, a turnout organisers said reflected early public interest in the country’s first national symphonic orchestra.
“The enthusiasm from the public, alongside the presence of senior dignitaries and leaders, affirmed the importance of creating an orchestra that people feel connected to and proud of,” said Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi, the orchestra’s managing director.
For the musicians, the opening tour carried particular weight. “The focus in the halls, the emotional reactions and the sustained applause spoke to how deeply the music resonated.” said Amine Kouider, the orchestra’s artistic director and conductor, describing it as an ‘extraordinary experience.’
“For many of the musicians, it was the first time they had shared this collective sound with audiences city by city,” he added. “That response gives us confidence as we move into the next phase of the season.”
In the coming weeks, the inaugural season continues, with programmes that move between Western classical music, regional heritage and contemporary interpretation.
In Abu Dhabi the orchestra will present an evening devoted to three composers who shaped the sound of Russian music across generations. The programme moves from the folk-inflected energy of Shostakovich to the wit and elegance of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, before closing with the emotional sweep of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 — a work that remains one of the most recognisable in the orchestral repertoire.
Friday, February 14, 7:30 p.m.
Red Theatre, Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island
In Dubai, the orchestra presents a programme inspired by the writings of Ibn Arabi, the 12th- and 13th-century Arab scholar, Sufi mystic, poet, and Muslim philosopher. The concert includes the world premiere of a symphonic poem by Nadim Tarabay, blending orchestral music with Arabic instruments and voice. The result is a reflective work that moves between stillness and intensity, exploring ideas of love, unity and meaning.
Wednesday, March 5, 9:00 p.m.
Dubai Opera
In Fujairah the performance turns to love as its central theme, tracing its emotional arc through three movements — Emerging Love, Passionate Love and Eternal Love. Inspired in part by the poetry of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the programme moves across chosen melodies and musical textures, offering a reminder of how love and music transcend language and borders.
Wednesday, March 26, 6:30 p.m.
Fujairah National Theatre
The orchestra brings together musicians from 30 nationalities, selected from more than 3,200 applicants worldwide. Ahead of the season, the ensemble took part in rehearsals, cultural sessions and heritage workshops at Yas Creative Hub, laying the groundwork for how the orchestra works together on and off stage.
Alongside its concert programme, the orchestra has announced a new training initiative for Emirati musicians. The Emirati Capacity Building Programme will run from April 2026 to April 2027 and combine individual instruction, ensemble training and participation in rehearsals. The first group of participants is expected to be announced in April.
As the season continues, the orchestra is working toward a sound shaped by both tradition and experimentation, bringing Arabic and Western musical languages into conversation and creating shared cultural moments across the Emirates.
