The Arabian Night

An Evening of Emirati Music Heritage

Arabian Rhythms in Astana

Running time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Please note that the age limit is 10+

Management reserves the right to substitute performers and works performed

This unique musical project aims to bring selected musicians from the United Arab Emirates to Astana to form a full takht band and introduce the music of the UAE to the city. The Takht represents the core music ensemble that plays classical Arabic music as well as UAE heritage music. In addition to the oud player (Oud Master Faisal Al Saari), the band will feature a qanoon player, a violinist, a cellist, and two drummers to create specific Khaleeji (Middle Eastern) rhythms.

The Takht Band will perform an Arabic classical programme that incorporates elements of Emirati heritage, featuring the first Emirati oud player Shamsa Al Jasmi. Additionally, the programme will include the first Emirati pianist and composer Eman Al Hashmi, who will perform some of her most recent compositions. A classical music segment featuring musicians from Kazakhstan will round out the evening, creating not only a panorama of Emirati music but also a true cross-cultural musical dialogue.

Both the UAE and Kazakhstan are countries situated at the crossroads of various cultural influences, where sounds from the Arab world, Europe, Asia and even Africa converge. This concert aims to pay tribute to this unique geographic, intellectual and artistic landscape.

PROGRAMME

UAE National Anthem
Symphony No. 40 W. Mozart Performed by the Band
Sound of Silence Eman Al Hashmi & the Band
Ayyalah Variations Performed by Shamsa Al Jasmi & the Band
Hay Bil Shahamah Performed by Shamsa Al Jasmi & the Band
Ali Bin Rogha Variations Performed by Faisal Al Saari & the Band
Dar Zayed Performed by Shamsa Al Jasmi & the Band
Jaber Jasem Variations Performed by Faisal Al Saari & the Band

Alf Leila wa Leila Umm Kulthum Performed by Shamsa Al Jasmi & the Band
Umm Kulthum Variations Performed by Shamsa Al Jasmi & the Band
Fairouz Variations Performed by Shamsa Al Jasmi & the Band
Solo Oud Performed by Faisal Al Saari

PERFORMED BY

Faisal Al Saari (Oud)

Dr. Eman Al Hashmi (Composer and Pianist)

Shamsa Al Jasmi (Oud)

Khalid bin Khadim (Qanoon)

Hussain Al Hammadi (Percussion)

Ali Dridi (Violin & Clarinet)

Lotfi Soua (Percussion)

BIOGRAPHIES OF PERFORMERS

Faisal Al Saari (oud)

Faisal Al Saari is a renowned artist from Abu Dhabi, UAE. He holds an M.A. in Music, specialising in Oud and Vocals, and has studied both Eastern and Western solfege, as well as operatic singing. He is currently furthering his studies in music and vocal sciences. Al Saari composed his first musical work in 1992.

He joined Bait Al Oud and graduated as an Oud soloist, later becoming an instructor at the institute. He continued to specialise in oud performance, focusing on composition and musicological research. He has prepared several studies, earning a certificate in the Science and Rules of Music, as well as a certificate in the theories of Oriental and Western music.

Al Saari has participated in numerous regional and international festivals and concerts. His compositions include the operettas Oriental Tale and Mother of the Emirates: The Story of a Country. He has produced music albums such as Mazeej and Oud in UAE and is the founder of the Emirati choir and the “Yas Orchestra”.

Al Saari has represented the UAE at various festivals as a music expert and was awarded for the operetta Education Without Borders. He was honoured by the Higher Colleges of Technology for composing Welcome. In 2009, he received the "Creativity Award" at the Abu Dhabi Classical Music Festival, sponsored by ADMAF, for the operetta The Story of a State. He was honoured by His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and Her Excellency Hoda Kanoo Al-Khamis. Additionally, Al Saari established the Al Saari Institution. He continues to teach at Bait Al Oud in Abu Dhabi.

Eman Al Hashmi (composer and pianist)

Eman Al Hashmi is the first female composer from the UAE. In addition to being a composer, she is a music arranger specialising in orchestral works and soundtracks. Al Hashmi is a versatile artist pianist, painter, writer, poet, and screenwriter. She is also an internationally certified life coach and holds a global certificate from WIPO in Intellectual Property Rights, along with an accredited evaluator diploma in the Government Excellence Model (GEM). She has earned a bachelor’s degree in human resources management and a master’s degree in communication arts and strategic public relations, both with distinction and honours, as well as a PhD in Project Management.

Eman Al Hashmi has successfully published six books and achieved numerous accomplishments on both local and international stages, with over 50 participations, many of which were groundbreaking in the UAE.

Shamsa Al Jasmi (oud)

Shamsa Al Jasmi is the first female Oud player from the UAE. She has performed both nationally and internationally, representing the UAE on a global stage with a repertoire focused on traditional Emirati heritage.

Ali Dridi (violin)

Ali Dridi has been a violin teacher at Bait Al Oud, Abu Dhabi, since 2019. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music and musicology, specialising in Arabic violin, and a diploma in Arabic music from the Regional Conservatory of Music in Bizerte. Dridi has performed as a regular member of the Tunisian Symphony Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Tunisia. He has participated in many national and international concerts, accompanying artists from around the world. Dridi has taught violin since 2002 in various music institutions and is also the founder and conductor of the Bait Al Oud orchestra and strings.

Lotfi Soua (percussion)

Lotfi Soua is one of the most active and dynamic percussionists on the Tunisian stage. His interests and collaborations span various musical environments, including Arabic, Eastern, theatre, and film music. Born in Bizerte in 1983 and currently residing in Tunis, Soua is a versatile percussionist and composer who graduated in music and musicology from the Higher Institute of Music in Tunis.

He has collaborated both live and in the studio with renowned artists such as Antonio Maiello, Manu Dibango, Paul Adibu, François Regè Cambuzat, Daniel Mille, Lucien Zerrad, Achok Patack, and many others in the Arab world, including Khalil Karadoman, Göksel Baktagir, Yordal Tokan, Izzet Kisil, Nasir Chamma, Khaled Ben Yahiya, Amine and Hamza M'raihi, Mohamed Ali Kammoun, Lotfi Bouchnak, Sonia M'barek, and Saber Rebai.

Khalid bin Khadim (qanoon)

Khalid Bin Khadim’s musical journey began at a young age, initially showing talent on the piano. He later explored other string instruments, playing the oud for two years, followed by the violin for two years, before focusing on the qanoon from 2018 to the present. Bin Khadim expanded his musical knowledge through composition studies and joined the Emirates Music Band, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Youth. He has participated in numerous international and national events alongside some of the most renowned artists in the Arab world, the Gulf, and particularly the UAE.

Hussain Shaaban Al Hammadi (percussion)

A graduate of Yarmouk University in Jordan, Al Hammadi majored in music with a specialisation in percussion performance. He has participated in numerous large-scale events both nationally and internationally, showcasing his skills in percussion.

Tickets purchased at the State Opera and Ballet Theatre “Astana Opera” are subject to exchange and refund only in cases of cancellation or postponement of performances. In all other cases, no refunds or exchanges will be made.