UAE National Orchestra celebrates decades of Emirati screen music

ABU DHABI / WAM

The UAE National Orchestra will present a new concert programme dedicated to the music of Emirati television and film, performed in full symphonic arrangement in a way that reflects their place in the UAE’s social and cultural memory. From Screen to Stage spans five decades of Emirati screen production, from the late 1970s to the present day, and will be performed on 16th April at the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi and 18th April at Ras Al Khaimah Cultural Creative.
The programme brings together themes from across five decades of Emirati television, film and animation, highlighting the composers behind these works and their role in shaping how stories have been told on screen. It offers a shared musical journey through melodies that have accompanied generations, creating a live experience that is both reflective and uplifting, allowing audiences to reconnect with these shared memories in a way that feels both timely and meaningful.
Performed by the UAE National Orchestra and Choir, the programme reimagines well-known themes through layered orchestral arrangements, while preserving the original musical identity of each piece. It also highlights the work of Emirati composers including Eid Alfaraj, Ibrahim Juma, , and Fayez Alsaeed, whose contributions have played a key role in the evolution of the sound of Emirati television and film.
“Music has always been part of how the UAE tells its stories. Many of these compositions carry memories that audiences have grown up with across generations,” said Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi, Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra. “Bringing them to the symphonic stage is not only about recognising the composers and creators behind them, but about creating a shared experience that brings people together.” She added, “As a national orchestra, we have a responsibility to reflect the cultural voice of the country, and to ensure that music continues to connect people in meaningful ways. This programme is both a tribute to that legacy and an invitation to experience it in a new and powerful way.”
Structured as a series of orchestral medleys, the concert traces distinct periods in the development of Emirati television and cinema, reflecting shifts in musical style across eras.
Each medley brings together themes from multiple productions into a continuous orchestral work, introduced by Emirati actor, filmmaker, and poet Yaser Al Neyadi, who offers brief stories and context that connect the music to the time and cultural landscape in which it was created.
The programme includes works such as “Ishafan”(1978), “Al Ghous” (1978), “Aber Sabeel” (1988), recognised as the first Emirati film, “Freej” (2006), the first 3D animated series in the region, as well as later productions including “Khiyanat Watan” (2016) and “The Ambush” (2021), both inspired by real events. Together, these selections reflect a range of genres, from historical drama and social comedy to animation and contemporary cinema.
Ahmed Farag, Conductor of the UAE National Orchestra, said, “Many of these melodies are instantly recognisable. This music was originally written to support a story on screen. What’s powerful about hearing it live is that it becomes the story itself. People recognise it straight away, and when they hear it performed live, it takes on a completely different meaning.” Fatima AlHashmi, Artistic Planner at the UAE National Orchestra, said, “When we started curating together the programme, we quickly realised that almost every piece we considered carried a personal memory for someone in the team. That is when we understood what this concert could be. It is not just a celebration of Emirati screen music. It is a way of returning something to audiences that has always belonged to them.”
The Abu Dhabi performance will also bring together invited guests from across the UAE’s film and television community, including actors, directors, composers, and creative collaborators connected to the featured works.
From Screen to Stage invites audiences to experience familiar music in a new way, reconnecting with the stories and moments that have shaped Emirati cultural life, while bringing these works into a shared live setting. As the UAE National Orchestra continues to present programmes that reflect the country’s cultural identity, this concert offers audiences an opportunity to come together through music that resonates across generations.