To This Land We Belong

The UAE National Orchestra and Choir will open the second season of Symphony On… And The Journey Continues with To This Land We Belong at Dubai Opera on September 20.

Conducted by Ahmed Farag, the concert will feature the world premieres of three new compositions by Emirati composers, offering audiences a musical exploration of the UAE’s founding story, landscapes, traditions and evolving identity.

Three new Emirati compositions

The programme will begin with Khalid Nassir’s The Founder’s Journey, a six-part composition inspired by the life and philosophy of the UAE’s Founding Father.

It will be followed by Ali Kano’s Homeland Melodies, which brings traditional oriental instruments together with the orchestra, creating a dialogue between regional musical traditions and orchestral performance.

Composer Fayez Al Saeed will conclude the programme with a work combining orchestra, choir and poetry. The piece will feature Emirati poet Arif Al Khajah’s Lightning, Thunder & Longing.

Exploring heritage and identity

Together, the three premieres explore themes of Emirati heritage, memory, identity and belonging, while reflecting on how these elements continue to evolve and connect with future generations.

The concert forms part of the UAE National Orchestra and Choir’s second season of Symphony On… And The Journey Continues, continuing its focus on presenting orchestral works that draw on the UAE’s cultural heritage and contemporary identity.