Abu dhabi: The UAE National Orchestra, the nation’s official orchestra, is poised to launch its second season with a compelling musical program entitled “To This Land We Belong,” which will celebrate the country’s rich musical heritage and history. The season’s opening includes two concerts scheduled for September 18 at the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi and September 20 at the Dubai Opera, featuring three world premieres commissioned from the UAE’s most prominent composers.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the opening concert will present three world premiere works commissioned by the National Orchestra from leading Emirati composers and poets. Each composition offers a unique vision of the UAE, its landscape, people, and the shared experiences that bind them together. The program opens with “The Founder’s Journey,” a six-movement orchestral epic by Emirati composer Khalid Nasser. This piece reflects the life and vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, capturing the nation’s founding spirit and its accompanying determination and ambition.

Following this, the audience will be treated to “Naghmat Al Watan” (Melody of the Homeland) by Emirati composer Ali Kanoo. This concerto for oriental instruments and symphony orchestra draws inspiration from Emirati heritage and the nuances of the local environment, highlighting the diverse features of the UAE. The program concludes with a suite for orchestra and chorus composed by Fayez Al Saeed, in collaboration with Emirati poet Arif Al Khaja. The suite, blending music with the poem “Raad, Barq, and Hanin” (Thunder, Lightning, and Longing), evokes the UAE’s journey from its earliest eras to the present, illustrating a timeless longing despite the passage of time.

The second season of the UAE National Orchestra promises a diverse array of new compositions commissioned by the orchestra, alongside performances by guest artists and unique musical collaborations for audiences across the UAE. Building on the success of its inaugural season, the orchestra continues to present new commissioned works alongside programs of Arabic and Western music, fulfilling its mission to unite musicians, composers, and artists from various cultural and artistic backgrounds.

The program is further enhanced by the notable inclusion of Eastern instruments alongside traditional orchestral elements, offering audiences a fresh musical experience and showcasing the diverse possibilities of this theatrical encounter.