'There Is A Sense Of Gratitude Towards Those Who Serve In Defence Of The Nation': Sheikha Alia

2026-04-16 03:00:20

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Nostalgia speaks to us differently in a moment of crisis. It is only when we look back that we truly understand the roots that made us who we are. Today, the UAE National Orchestra is all set to host From Screen To Stage, a concert that honours the composers who have shaped the music industry on Emirati television and films. City Times spoke to Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi, Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra, ahead of the concert to find out why looking back is essential in understanding ourselves. Edited excerpts from an interview.

Since the establishment of the UAE National Orchestra in 2024 to now, how would you map your journey as its managing director?

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The journey has been both purposeful and fast-paced. Since then, we have brought together a 100-member orchestra and choir, marked our first public performance during Eid Al Etihad, held our first full public concert at Emirates Palace Auditorium in Abu Dhabi, and presented a range of musical programmes across the UAE, including original commissions.

From the beginning, our focus has been on building a foundation that reflects the UAE's identity while shaping a distinct national sound, one that brings together Emirati, Arabic and Western musical traditions in a way that feels authentic to the country today. This has meant not only defining an artistic direction, but also introducing the Orchestra to audiences across the UAE.

What has been especially rewarding is seeing how the musicians have come together. They come from different backgrounds, but there is a real sense of respect and openness in how they collaborate, and that naturally translates into the music. We are still at an early stage, but there is already a strong understanding of what the Orchestra represents and the role it can play in the UAE's cultural landscape.

Your efforts are focused on bringing Emirati stories to life through music. Do you think this is more important now than ever?

Bringing Emirati stories to life through music has always been important, but it does feel especially relevant today. As the UAE continues to evolve, it is important to stay connected to the stories that people have grown up with and that continue to shape how we see ourselves.

For me, what matters just as much is how these stories are experienced by the next generation. Many young people today may not engage with them in the same way as before, so presenting them through music creates a different kind of connection. It also allows some audiences to experience these stories for the first time, but in a way that still feels familiar and meaningful.

It is not only about preserving these stories, but about allowing them to evolve so they continue to feel relevant today.

In your view, how does orchestral music resonate with the younger audiences?

It resonates with younger audiences more than people often expect, particularly when it connects to something they already recognise. When music is linked to familiar cultural references, whether from film, television, or contemporary themes, it naturally creates a stronger point of connection and interest.

Younger audiences are also very open to new interpretations, and they respond to the scale and emotion that orchestral music brings in a live setting. It is not about changing the essence of the art form, but about how it is introduced.

We see programmes like From Screen to Stage as an opportunity to engage audiences in a way that feels both familiar and new, and to encourage them to explore orchestral music more deeply.

Recently, you released a musical tribute for the nation's heroes with lyrics based on our President Sheikh Mohamed's writings. What was the thought process that informed your decision to release the piece?

There is a strong sense of gratitude across the UAE towards those who serve in defence of the nation. As a national orchestra, it felt important to respond in a way that is true to who we are.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's poem, Rijal Wallah Rijaal, already carries a depth of meaning that people connect with immediately. What we set out to do was translate that into music in a way that honours the weight of those words.

At moments like this, music can carry what is difficult to express in other ways. It allows people to feel something collectively, without needing to explain it.

That is part of our responsibility. To contribute to how those moments are expressed and remembered through music.

There is certain nostalgia to the performance slated to happen on April 16. Why did you choose to bring the music of Emirati television and film to life on stage?

There is a strong sense of nostalgia associated with Emirati television and film because these works are closely tied to how people remember different moments in their lives. With From Screen to Stage, the decision was very intentional. We wanted to take music that has lived on screen for decades and bring it into a live setting, where it can be experienced in a completely different way.

For me, it was also important to recognise the composers behind these works, whose music has shaped how these stories were felt across generations. Presenting it through full orchestral arrangements allows audiences to reconnect with that legacy with a new depth and scale.

What, in your opinion, has been the essence of Emirati film and television all these years? How have the Emirati screens and stage shaped Emirati youth?

In my view, the essence of Emirati film and television has always been its honesty. These works reflect everyday life, relationships, and social realities in a way that feels immediate and familiar. That is what has allowed them to stay relevant across generations.

For many people, these stories were not just something they watched, but something that shaped how they understood their surroundings and their identity. They created shared reference points that continue to influence how people connect with culture today. That lasting impact is what makes revisiting this body of work through music feel meaningful.

Hosting a concert like this at this point is hugely inspiring for citizens and residents alike. What is that one message you would like to pass on?

At a time like this, the message is about recognising the role that culture and music can play in how people come together. Music has a way of creating a shared experience, allowing people to pause, reflect, and feel connected to something beyond their day-to-day lives.

Through both the tribute based on Rijal Wallah Rijal and programmes like From Screen to Stage, we are trying to create moments that feel meaningful and invite reflection. My message would simply be to take that moment, to listen, to reflect, and to recognise the sense of unity and appreciation that music can bring.