The launch of the UAE National Orchestra marks a defining cultural moment for the country. Created to reflect the UAE’s artistic ambition and multicultural identity, the orchestra’s inaugural season is designed as a musical journey that bridges East and West, heritage and modernity, and the classical canon with newly commissioned works.
Rather than limiting itself to a single city, the orchestra’s debut season unfolds across multiple emirates, reinforcing its national vision. Each concert has been carefully curated to highlight a different emotional, historical or cultural theme, inviting audiences to experience orchestral music as a living, evolving dialogue.
Below is a complete guide to the UAE National Orchestra’s debut season, including concert themes, venues and performance dates.
A National Vision in Sound
The UAE National Orchestra was established with a clear purpose: to create a professional symphonic ensemble that represents the UAE on the world stage while nurturing local talent and regional musical traditions. Its first season sets the tone for this mission, blending Western symphonic structures with Arabic musical language, poetry and instruments.
Under the artistic leadership of Amine Kouider, the orchestra brings together musicians from diverse backgrounds, unified by a shared commitment to musical excellence and cultural exchange. The programming is intentionally bold, introducing audiences to world premieres, cross-cultural collaborations and landmark classical works.
The Beginning: Pride, Heritage and Unity
The opening programme of the season, titled The Beginning, serves as both an introduction and a statement of intent. This concert celebrates national pride, shared heritage and unity through a newly commissioned symphonic work.
At the heart of the programme is a world premiere by composer Nadim Tarabay, who blends traditional musical motifs with a full symphonic form. The result is a composition that feels deeply rooted in regional identity while speaking the universal language of orchestral music.
This opening concert travels across four emirates, allowing audiences nationwide to experience the orchestra’s first-ever performances.
Abu Dhabi Performance
The season opens at the Emirates Palace Auditorium, a venue synonymous with grandeur and cultural prestige.
Date: Thursday, January 15
Time: 7.30pm
Al Ain Performance
The orchestra continues to Al Ain, performing at the Al Ain City Municipality Theatre, a key cultural venue in the Garden City.
Date: Saturday, January 17
Time: 7.30pm
Dubai Performance
In Dubai, the orchestra takes the stage at the iconic Dubai Opera, bringing the opening programme to the heart of the city’s cultural district.
Date: Monday, January 19
Time: 8pm
Sharjah Performance
The final performance of The Beginning takes place at the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, reinforcing Sharjah’s role as a regional arts hub.
Date: Thursday, January 29
Time: 7.30pm
Faces of Love: A Journey Through Emotion
Faces of Love explores one of humanity’s most universal themes through orchestral expression. Structured in three movements—Emerging Love, Passionate Love and Eternal Love—the concert traces love’s emotional evolution from first discovery to lasting devotion.
Rather than focusing on a single narrative, the programme allows each musical movement to express a different emotional state, creating an intimate and reflective concert experience. The orchestra’s rich tonal palette is used to evoke tenderness, intensity and transcendence, offering listeners a deeply human connection to the music.
Abu Dhabi Performance
This concert takes place at the Cultural Foundation Auditorium, a space known for its acoustic warmth and artistic heritage.
Date: Wednesday, February 4
Time: 7.30pm
Vivaldi: A Journey East
One of the most imaginative programmes of the season, Vivaldi: A Journey East asks a fascinating question: what if Antonio Vivaldi had encountered the musical traditions of the Arab world?
This concert stages a musical conversation between cultures. Western instruments such as the violin and harpsichord engage directly with Arabic instruments like the oud and qanun, discovering shared scales, rhythms and emotional expression. Rather than blending styles superficially, the programme allows each tradition to retain its identity while responding to the other.
The result is a sound world that feels both familiar and revelatory, highlighting the deep historical connections between musical cultures.
Abu Dhabi Performance
Venue: New York University Abu Dhabi Theatre
Date: Saturday, February 7
Time: 7.30pm
Russian Classics: Power and Personality
With Russian Classics, the UAE National Orchestra turns its attention to three towering figures of the Russian repertoire: Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
The programme opens with Shostakovich’s Overture on Russian and Kirghiz Folk Themes, a work that balances political undertones with folk-inspired vitality. Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite follows, offering playful neoclassical wit and rhythmic brilliance. The concert concludes with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, a deeply emotional work that explores fate, struggle and triumph.
Together, these pieces showcase the dramatic range and expressive power of the orchestra.
Abu Dhabi Performance
Venue: New York University Abu Dhabi Theatre
Date: Saturday, February 14
Time: 7.30pm
Echoes of Time: Ibn Arabi
The most contemplative programme of the season, Echoes of Time, draws inspiration from the writings of Ibn Arabi, transforming poetic philosophy into sound.
This concert brings together orchestra, Arabic and Western instruments, and voice in a seamless dialogue rooted in Sufi musical traditions. The emphasis is on listening deeply—allowing music to become a space for reflection, connection and spiritual resonance.
Rather than presenting poetry as narration, the programme translates ideas of unity, love and transcendence into musical form, offering an immersive and meditative experience.
Abu Dhabi Performance
Venue: Cultural Foundation Auditorium
Date: Thursday, February 19
Time: 9pm
A Historic First Season
The debut season of the UAE National Orchestra is more than a concert series; it is the foundation of a long-term cultural vision. By commissioning new works, reimagining classical masterpieces and celebrating regional heritage, the orchestra positions itself as a vital force in the UAE’s artistic landscape.
For audiences, this inaugural season offers a rare opportunity to witness the birth of a national institution—one that speaks to the past, engages with the present and looks confidently toward the future.
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