Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The Abu Dhabi Festival, which unites communities worldwide through music, art, and culture is back.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), the 22nd edition of the festival is being held under the theme "Abu Dhabi – A World of Harmony", in alignment with the UAE's Year of Community, from April 8 to 29.
This year, the festival celebrates over 50 years of friendship and diplomatic relations between the UAE and its country of honour, Japan.
Aletihad interviewed some of the artists who will be performing at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Kuniko Kato, the avant-garde Japanese percussionist, is set to perform on April 14.
Kato reflected on the artistic fusion the city represents: "Abu Dhabi is a symphony of contrasts - where the call to prayer harmonises with contemporary architecture, and the whispers of the desert meet the pulse of a cosmopolitan heartbeat. Each performance here is like sculpting sound in an atmosphere that respects both tradition and modernity."
For her, an intersectional artist, cultural diversity is her inspirational palette for articulating sound.
"Cultural diversity is like a vast palette of colours, each hue offering a new way to paint sound. When I perform in Abu Dhabi, I feel the echoes of different civilisations converging in one place. This inspires me to weave a dialogue between the ancient and the avant-garde.
Kato views the modern music scene as "an evolving canvas of sound, where the respect for tradition meets the current music scene".
Inspired by the contemporary art movement in Abu Dhabi, she felt empowered to push the boundaries of percussion, explore new facets and conceptualise soundscapes.
For her, rhythm is an emotion and a journey conveyed into the suspended moments between notes; it manifests the harmony of contrasts between silence and sound, tradition and innovation, East and West.
Kato applauded Abu Dhabi's embrace of art from all corners of the world, saying: "Abu Dhabi is a place where the boundaries of art dissolve. This openness to global art fuels my own artistic evolution, allowing me to learn from different cultures and traditions.
"Music has the power to linger long after the final note has been struck. I hope my performance leaves behind not just an impression but a resonance - one that inspires new perspectives on rhythm, sound, and storytelling."
The distinguished piano duo of Katia and Marielle Labèque will present a brand-new musical programme on April 16.
"This is our first time in Abu Dhabi, and we are very happy to discover a new audience," said the French sisters.
"The Abu Dhabi Festival, ADMAF's flagship initiative, celebrates creative excellence by bringing the world's finest artists to the UAE, enriching cultural experiences locally and globally."
Their programme will include a premiere performance of pieces especially written for them by Philip Glass, combining elements of tradition and modernism.
"To play Mother Goose is like bringing a piece of our heart and home to Abu Dhabi. To play Philip Glass is also very special because these pieces were never played here before. It will be a premiere, and it is always very exciting to present new music to a new audience."
To them, Abu Dhabi offers an opportunity for cultural dialogue.
"We see music as a universal language that brings people together. The Abu Dhabi Festival fosters global artistic innovation and collaboration, serving as a unique bridge between cultures. It is a testament to Abu Dhabi's commitment to shaping a future enriched by creativity, dialogue and mutual respect."
On April 21, violinist Augustin Hadelich's concert will feature assorted compositions by Bach, Coleridge-Taylor, Ysaÿe, and David Lang.
"I am immensely excited to perform in Abu Dhabi. It will be my first visit, although I have heard so much about the place over the years. The Abu Dhabi Festival fosters global artistic innovation and collaboration," he says.
The German-American believes that great music transcends time and culture.
"Performing this 300-year-old music in a modern 21st-century city like Abu Dhabi is exciting; despite all the technological change, humans are fundamentally the same as they were in 1725, and the music can move us just as much as it did 300 years ago."
On his eclectic programme, Hadelich says: "I love juxtaposing the music of Bach, foundational in the violin repertoire, with that of Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, an American composer inspired by Blues. The stylistic contrast is immense, yet both composers drew inspiration from folk music."
Hadelich sees tradition and innovation in Abu Dhabi as a reflection of classical music's ongoing development.
"The greatest works of classical music reveal additional depth with each listen and become more beautiful the better you know them.
"This music has given me back much more in inspiration and enjoyment than the many hours I invested into it," he concluded.
