What happens when musicians from 28 countries perform together?
In July 2018, an ensemble from 28 different nationalities performed orchestra music together in Saint Petersburg, Russia at a concert titled ‘28’. The concert brought together a melody that reflected the different cultural backgrounds of its performers, offering a unique fusion of Arabic, western, and contemporary music. The event, however, was not the first time these 28 musicians were performing together, as the ensemble has been performing together for over a decade as the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO).
The QPO was established in 2008 by Qatar Foundation (QF) to inspire the people of Qatar and the world to create and enjoy music. Since then, Qatar’s music landscape — be it Arabic, Western, or contemporary — has evolved, as have QF’s efforts to enhance diversity by offering initiatives that benefit people from the community, such as music training or concerts.
In 2011, three years after the creation of the QPO, QF established a state-of-the-art music school, Qatar Music Academy (QMA), to teach music to members of the community. Since then, both QF members have played key roles in staging world-class performances and providing high-caliber music training in Qatar.
With courses offering both one-to-one and group tutoring in 22 instruments and Arabic and Western vocal training, QMA attracts both schoolchildren and adults from different nationalities as its students. Currently, the staff and student body at QMA collectively represent over 50 countries.
Dr. Ozgur Mert Esen, Head of Western Music at QMA, has been teaching piano since the academy started and believes that diversity is crucial to the development of a country’s music fabric, whether through training or performances.
“When students and staff from various nationalities get together to perform, each person brings a unique touch, their interpretation to the way each instrument is played,” he said. “And yet, when we perform in a concert, there is perfect harmony and synchronization. So, the more diverse the backgrounds of our musicians, the better the performance.”
As both Arabic and Western music classrooms are housed in the same facility at QMA at the heart of the Katara Cultural Village, students are naturally immersed in both music traditions.
“Music’s capacity to bridge cultures unlike any other art form is reflected in the increasing number of students from non-Arab countries showing interest in Arabic music,” said Yassine Ayari, Head of Arabic Music at QMA. “We have over 30 non-Arab students studying traditional Arabic music instruments, such as the nay; a reed flute; and the oud, a string instrument that resembles the guitar.
“These students are carrying our message of music abroad. For instance, Nadir Abdul Salam, an Indian student who studied Arabic music at QMA for six years, recently performed at the opening ceremony of the 7th Muslim World Biz Conference in Malaysia.”
QF’s commitment to bringing the best in music education to the public goes beyond the classrooms of QMA. It provides aspiring musicians with access to world-class venues, such as Qatar National Convention Centre and the amphitheater at Katara, giving budding musicians the opportunity to perform in public.
Additionally, once in a year the students get a chance to perform with musicians from the QPO — 17 of whose musicians teach at QMA — at a concert where ensembles and soloists from QMA take center stage.
Increasing popularity
The diversity of nationalities in the QPO mirrors that of QMA and has contributed to its increasing popularity. It has staged an array of memorable performances, including concerts at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, and the Royal Albert Hall in London for the BBC Proms.
QPO’s high rate of retainment — around 80 percent of its 95 musicians have been part of the orchestra since it was first established — contributes to its success. It is also evidence of QF’s commitment toward providing people, irrespective of their nationality or background, access to first-rate infrastructure and resources for their personal and professional development in Qatar.
Kurt Meister, Executive Director of the QPO, helped found the initiative at the behest of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation. He has personally seen the positive impact of QF’s initiatives to encourage diversity in all things music — performances, teaching, and appreciation — extend from Qatar to the world.
Meister recalls how, a year after the blockade, when Qatar wanted to show the world that it was as inclusive and welcoming as ever to people from different cultures, it did so through the ‘28’ concert in Russia.
The concert, held in connection with the Qatar-Russia 2018 Year of Culture, saw the orchestra’s musicians perform the national anthems of Russia and Qatar with a twist. The two anthems were combined, with the renowned Qatari singer Fahad Al Kubaisi and a Russian soprano singing the Arabic and Russian lyrics respectively.
“For the past decade, Qatar Foundation has been using the plethora of music talent in Qatar to speak to the world without saying a word,” Meister said.
“It has reached a point where, after a QPO performance abroad, members of the audience approach me saying that they are amazed at the way Qatar has embraced diversity in music to the extent that the country now has a world-class orchestra in Doha. Each time, my response is the same — Qatar is capable of this and much more.”
