NYO Dubai Opens Vienna Festival With Ihab Darwish Premiere
The orchestra will become the first UAE-based ensemble to perform at three of Vienna's most renowned concert halls.
On July 3rd, bows rise at Vienna's Grand Konzerthaus as the National Youth Orchestra Dubai opens the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival, beginning a week that also takes in the Musikverein (Golden Hall) and ORF RadioKulturhaus.
Backed by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority through the Dubai Cultural Grant, NYO Dubai and its String Camerata Orchestra will take part in the festival's 18th edition from July 3rd to 7th. Held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Austria, and under the auspices of the Austrian Commission for UNESCO, the festival brings together youth orchestras from around the world. The tour forms part of Dubai Culture's Emirati Music Education Programme, delivered in partnership with NYO Dubai to identify and support emerging musical talent while encouraging cultural exchange.
Across the city, the ensemble will become the first UAE-based orchestra to perform at the Grand Konzerthaus, the Musikverein (Golden Hall) and the ORF RadioKulturhaus. Alongside the performances, the programme includes specialised masterclasses led by international conductors and music educators.
The opening concert at the Grand Konzerthaus on July 3rd will also host the world premiere of 'Threads of Light' by Emirati composer Ihab Darwish. The work will return to the stage on July 4th at the Musikverein (Golden Hall) and again on July 6th at the ORF RadioKulturhaus.
"'Threads of Light' represents a significant milestone in my journey as a composer," Darwish said. "Writing this work for these exceptional young musicians and seeing it receive its world premiere on Vienna's iconic stages is truly special. The composition explores what individual voices can achieve when they come together in harmony and listen to one another."
The National Youth Orchestra Dubai Strings Camerata has also qualified for the festival's main international competition, taking place on July 4th at the Musikverein before an international jury.
"The participation of the National Youth Orchestra Dubai and its String Orchestra in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival represents a significant milestone that demonstrates the positive impact of Dubai Culture's Emirati Music Education Programme in preparing young musicians to perform and compete internationally," said Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, CEO of the Arts, Design and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture.
The orchestra's July 6th performance at the ORF RadioKulturhaus will be livestreamed globally.
