Press Releases

Al Ain Festival 2008
Jazz meets Mozart
The "Symphony Series"

UAE Philharmonic Orchestra to Perform at 8th Al Ain Classical Music Festival

Concert to include two world premieres

Dubai, 1st March 2008 – UAE Philharmonic Orchestra (formerly known as Dubai Philharmonic Orchestra) under Artistic Director and Conductor Philipp Maier has announced its participation in the 8th Al Ain Classical Music Festival. Appearing alongside world famous visiting artists and orchestras such as Dresdner Staatskapelle (Germany), Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra (Poland) and Milan La Scala Orchestra (Italy), the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra will present compositions by Antonin Dvorak and Richard Wagner in addition to the world premiere of two symphonic works by British composer Darrol Barry.

The central work of the evening will be Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8, which stands as a preamble to his famous Symphony No. 9 ‘The New World’. UAE Philharmonic Orchestra will also perform Wagner’s prelude to the opera ‘Tannhaeuser’, which coincides with the first ever all–Wagner program performed by Dresdner Staatskapelle under Fabio Luisi two days earlier in Abu Dhabi.

Marked ‘a Festival highlight’ by the organizers the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra will also for the first time ever perform the ‘Arabian Sands Overture’ and ‘5 Arabesques’ by Darrol Barry, Composer and Arranger in residence to the Royal Guard of Oman. ”Both works will entice music lovers with their colorful, big orchestration and powerful melodic and harmonic textures“, said Philipp Maier. The two pieces will also give the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra a chance to showcase its brand new set of Timpani.

The UAE Philharmonic’s participation in the 8th Al Ain Classic Music Festival 2008 represents a major step ahead for the only UAE-based philharmonic orchestra in terms of Government recognition.

”We understand the strong interest of Abu Dhabi Concert Committee, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage to support UAE events and to promote the talents of the UAE nationals and residents“, said Philipp Maier. ”We are delighted to be able to participate in this wonderful Festival and be able to contribute at national level to arts & cultural development in the UAE. Being invited to perform is an important milestone in establishing the UAE Philharmonic Orchestra as the first national Philharmonic Orchestra in the UAE,“ Maier added.

The 8th Al Ain Classical Music Festival runs for 11 days from March 6-16. The UAE Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance will take place on March 10th – 8 pm - at Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain.

UAE Philharmonic Orchestra to perform ‘Jazz Meets Mozart’

Two concerts featuring Australian Jazz Quartet in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

The UAE Philharmonic Orchestra (UAEPO) has announced two concerts in Abu Dhabi and Dubai uniting Jazz and the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The ambitious project represents the first collaboration between the UAE’s first and only philharmonic orchestra and the Australian Jazz Quartet (AJQ) of Perth.

Originally led by drummer, composer and arranger Michael Pignéguy of AJQ and supported by fellow West Australian arrangers Mike Nelson and Grant Windsor, ”Jazz Meets Mozart’ has been a huge success when performed by a string quartet and jazz quartet at Perth Concert Hall in 2006. Audiences in the UAE will be the first worldwide to experience the concert in an adaptation of the original string quartet arrangements for full orchestra.

The performances will include material from Mozart’s Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra in C Major, arias from The Marriage of Figaro, the first movement from Symphony No. 40 and overtures to the operas The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni as well as ”Lacrimosa Dies Illa“ from Mozart’s Requiem.

The jazz quartet will feature multi award and 'World Saxophone Competition' winner (Montreux 2003) Jamie Oehlers as well as international performers Tom O'Halloran (piano) and Sam Anning (acoustic bass) and Michael Pignéguy (drums) joined by Philipp Maier conducting the DPO. Additional guest performers will be award - winning oboist Margrit Anne Deppe from Switzerland and multi - talented international vocalist Cedric Vandenschrik with a rendition of Mozart's bassoon concerto for orchestra and solo vocals.

”‘Jazz meets Mozart’ aims to assimilate the core values of these two divergent genres into an exciting feast for the ears and eyes“ said UAEPO Artistic Director Philipp Maier. ”The UAEPO has always followed the vision of being an orchestra with a high relevance to the diverse and multi-cultural society now living in the UAE. With projects like this we can showcase the orchestra on many different levels and musical facets. In addition I am very excited of being able to present this unique and world – first project here in the UAE to both the public and also the orchestra members.“.

Adds Mr. Pignéguy who is now resident in the UAE: ”The aspect of adding a full orchestra to this musical collage is both visionary and exciting and will be a first within the UAE. The result will present a unique and exciting interpretation of some of Mozart’s most famous works using the format of Jazz quartet together with the full UAE Philharmonic Orchestra.“

The performances will be held October 26th - 20.00 at The Emirates Palace Auditorium in Abu Dhabi and October 28th - 20.00 at the DUCTAC Theatre, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.

For more information and tickets please call the Kempinski Emirates Palace Hotel on 02 690 8200 between 9am and 9 pm or the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Center DUCTAC on 04 341 4777 between 9am and 10pm.

A DVD production with a full documentary about this project - produced by SAE Dubai - will follow soon after the performances.

A Signature concert presented by Damac Properties

The UAE Philharmonic Orchestra introduces ”The Symphony Series“ at the Madinat Theatre. The UAEPO will perform a purely classical programme on the evening of June 2, 2007.

Under the baton and artistic direction of Philip Maier, the DPO, with musicians from all over the United Arab Emirates, will present a purely classical program featuring works by Wagner, Sibelius, Smetana, Dvorak, Mendelssohn, Khatchaturian and Handel.

This will be the first performance of the UAEPO introducing a ”Symphony Series“ of classical orchestra concerts as a regular event in the UAE.

The 55 piece ensemble has been developed and nurtured over the last 16 months by artistic director Philip Maier, and has performed several concerts for both private and public events. Their repertoire has been mixed, featuring singers form all over the world, as well as performances of classical, contemporary, Arabic and opera pieces. Says Maier ”This is our first concert which has a totally classical repertoire. I am delighted that we have attracted musicians from not only Dubai, but all over the UAE who are now regularly playing with us. We have had many requests for classical concerts and I am now very happy to be able to offer one to the Dubai public.“

After recently performing at the launch of the Damac ”Signature Residences“ performance, this concert will be sponsored by Damac. Said CEO Peter Riddoch, ”We are delighted to support the UAEPO’s vision of a multicultural, world class orchestra in Dubai - just as we build places for people to live and work in, we hope by supporting the Orchestra and the endeavors of Mr Maier that we will also contribute on a meaningful level to the cultural life of the UAE“.

Featured soloists will be the cellist Laura Chappel from Abu Dhabi with Dvorak’s Cello concerto and Elena Cherny (UAEPO concert master) playing Mendelssohn’s famous Violin concerto in e-minor.

The performance will be on one night only at 8.00 pm at the superb Madinat Theatre, Madinat Souq. Tickets are available from the Madinat Box Office Tel. Dubai 3666546 or online at www.madinattheatre.com and are priced at 125 dirhams.