DUBA – The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), has closed the curtain on the first edition of the one-day ‘Dubai Festival for Youth Music’, organized by it.
There was immense competition among the artistic talents participating in the festival, through which the authority reaffirms its commitment to nurture and discover creative youth and enhance Dubai’s grassroots music sector.
Dubai Culture held the ceremony at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library in the presence of Dr. Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector, and Fatma Al Jallaf, Acting Director of the Performing Arts Department at the culture of Dubai, and jury members, as well as musician and artist Eid Al-Faraj, who was awarded “Musical Personality of the Year”, in recognition of his long performing career and his contribution to the local art scene.
Dr. Saeed affirmed the importance of the opportunities offered by the Dubai Festival for Youth Music and said, “Music is a civilized way to deepen understanding among members of society. Through this festival, Dubai Culture affirms its commitment to providing support to creative talents in various artistic and cultural fields and the opportunities they need to enable them to express their artistic skills and abilities.”
He stressed that the organization of this festival is part of Dubai Culture’s leadership of the Dubai emirate’s arts movement, in line with the authority’s vision to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global center for culture, an incubator for creativity and a thriving hub for talent.
Fatima Al-Jallaf indicated that the festival helps to support young creatives and pump new life into the local music scene. He said: “Dubai has always been – and continues to be – an important destination for musicians, which has contributed to the creation of a sustainable arts environment capable of advancing this sector, which forms one of the foundations of the creative economy, which Dubai aspires to be the global capital of by 2026”.
More than 70 young men and women gave free rein to their musical creativity, taking turns playing various musical compositions. These were reviewed by festival jury members Dr. Mohammad Hamami, artist Tariq Al-Minhali and musician Tala Badri. The competition featured five categories to raise the bar of performance among young talent competing for the awards. Najma Al-Kour won Best Voice, while Hussein Nofal won Best Arabic Performance (Oud Instrument), Naram Rashid won Best Classical Performance (Violin), and Victoria Demi won the prize for the best piano performance. The Hand Pan Orchestra, led by Anas Halabi, also won the award for Best Integrated Music Ensemble.
The festival saw musicality presented by Dr. Mohammed Hamami, the head of the judging panel, as well as Noura Abdel Salam and Talib Khaled Mohamed Hammadi from Zayed Education Complex. There were other stage appearances led by Malak Omar Alloush and Ahmed Al-Moussawi as autistic children.
The Dubai Festival for Youth Music, an annual event organized by Dubai Culture in November, is the first local event aimed at young people in music and through it the authority seeks to fulfill its commitments in discovering young musical talent.
