Enchanting melodies of traditional Arabic songs filled the air during the Siwar Choir Annual Concert in the Opera House at Katara - the Cultural Village.
Together with Siwar, renowned guest musicians such as Pedro Eustache, Michel Fadel, Felicita Fuchs and Dave Pierce made the performance a powerful fusion of eastern and western musical styles.
Forty talented Arab children, accompanied by 33 musicians led by maestro Nabih el-Khatib, dazzled the audience with a two-hour performance of celebrated traditional music pieces rearranged specially for the choir.
Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (JCC) board member, acting director and general manager Haya bint Khalifa al-Nassr said: “Ever since JCC launched the Siwar choir, its objective has been to provide talented children with the opportunity to explore the rich Arabic heritage through its diverse musical repertoire. Today, we witness this project’s success and we are proud to see Arab talents performing the best of famous international music titles with world-renowned musicians.”
The acting channels director, Saad al-Hudaifi, said: “Music is the universal language of mankind and, with Siwar, JCC is committed to cultural initiatives that enrich the lives of Arab children and empower them to share their talent. Tonight’s excellent performance by Siwar and the distinguished guests have showcased Arabic music at its best, as well as the amazing young Arab talents that Qatar gathers.”
Maestro el-Khatib said: “Tonight’s concert is a manifestation of the role that music plays in enriching the lives of Arab youth in Qatar. We are thrilled to perform for such a distinguished audience and have the opportunity to showcase the promising young talents who will carry the rich heritage of oriental music to future generations. We feel very passionately about the choir and want to ensure that the maximum number of children get the chance to be part of this wonderful experience in the years to come.”