On Thursday (8/8), an article on the Deutsche Welle site (Germany) reports, “Around 60 musicians from seven different Arab nations followed Bremen-based conductor Heiner Buhlmann as he led them through Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8. It was the orchestra’s first major performance at the Young Euro Classic Festival in Berlin’s Konzerthaus at the beginning of August. With support from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, the Arab Youth Philharmonic Orchestra—made up of musicians from Egypt, Algeria, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia and the Palestinian territories—met for the first time in Berlin to rehearse for their performance. Their repertory includes classical European works and traditional pieces from the Arab world. ‘We play Claude Debussy’s “Dances for Harp” since the harp was originally an Egyptian instrument,’ said 22-year-old harpist Toaa Salah El-Deen of Cairo. ‘I’m so proud to be able to perform as a soloist for the first time with an orchestra. The experience is priceless.’ ‘The Arab Youth Philharmonic Orchestra symbolizes a vision for harmony and peaceful cooperation in the Arab world—something that’s become uncertain there,’ said orchestra founder Fawzy El-Shamy, former director of the Cairo Music Conservatory. ‘That makes this vision even more important.’”
Posted August 8, 2013
