On 15th of November a performance 28 by Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra took place in the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella within the program titled ‘Qatar as Guest Country,’ part of the Year of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018. Elias Grandi, an upcoming star of the German stage, conducted the orchestra. The concert was supported by the Qatar’s Ministry of Culture and Sports, Qatar Airways and QF.
The name of the concert – “28 cultures – one melody” – refers to the unique diversity of the orchestra, which, at present, consists of musicians from 28 countries. Before the concert started musicians from each country performed the most famous musical compositions of their homelands.
The concert opened with a welcome speech by the Minister of Culture and Sports of Qatar His Excellency Salah Bin Ghanim Al Ali. He thanked all the guests for their interest in the Qatari musical art and noted that “28 cultures – one melody”, like Russia and Qatar, is a remarkable example of the unique diversity of cultures and values and a symbol of acceptance.
The Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinskiy noted that the concert of the Philharmonic Orchestra is a real treasure in the extensive program of the Year of Culture Qatar-Russia 2018, and expressed his gratitude to the organizers and trustees of unique cultural initiatives that take place in two countries.
The first part of the performance featured the works of Arab composers Dana Al Fardan, Nasser Sahim, and Wael Binali. Famous Qatari baritone Fahad Al Kubaisi also participated in the concert. During the second part the orchestra performed a masterpiece of academic music from the 20th century: Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.
The mission of Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra is to promote the music culture of the East and the West in Qatar and abroad. It has performed world premieres of works such as ‘The Symphony of Return’ by Marcel Khalife, a Concerto for violin by Jean-Charles Gundry, a Concerto for oud by Abdullah El Masri, and a Requiem by Rami Khalife, among others. The orchestra was founded in 2007 and is part of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF).
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