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Sweet sounds of strings launch Muscat Chamber Music Series
Muscat: Violins, violas, cellos, a double bass, and even a vibraphone delighted the audience at the Bosch Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday night as the Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra performed for the grand launch of the Muscat Chamber Music Series.
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The Muscat Chamber Music Series is an initiative by Arabesque International to provide free music workshops and concerts in Oman by a variety of international musicians. Since September 2014 it has had three pre-launch concerts to generate support, and Thursday’s concert marked its official launch, following a number of community and school workshops held earlier in the week with three of the musicians from the Kremerata Baltica.
“I thank all of you for coming tonight to celebrate with us this special evening, opening the dream…which we have been working on for 14 months,” said Ahmed Abouzahra, general manager of Arabesque International.
The Latvian ensemble played a wonderful selection of excerpts from popular classical compositions as well as few modern pieces.
Abouzahra said the diverse programme was partially based on a wish-list from Amin Al Husseini, CEO of the main sponsor Oman Arab Bank.
“We were happy to find four or five pieces out of this wish-list which we could present as our concept is to bring classical music to Omani society to attract them,” Abouzahra told the audience.
Highlights included Bach’s “Air on the G String,” a piece so sweet and haunting that everyone in the audience seemed to calm down and focus all their attention on the talented young musicians, and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence,” a colour and romantic piece that takes on directly to the Italian city.
The concert also featured a fantastic and exhilarating appearance by vibraphone player Andrei Pushkarev for two pieces by Astor Piazzolla and one by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Pushkarev is an incredibly expressive performer who doesn’t just play but seems to live the music, using his entire body to channel the music.
Finally the audience was treated to a wonderful encore featuring a surprise special guest, Ahmed Abouzahra’s 9-year-old violin prodigy daughter Amira, who joined the Kremerata Baltica for a moving performance of the three movements of “Spring” from Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
Abouzahra admitted that Amira was one of the inspirations for the Muscat Chamber Music Series, which aims to instill children with a love and appreciation for music.
While visiting Oman in February 2014 to perform at the Royal Opera House Muscat, Amira also performed at a number of local schools, sharing her passion for music with local children.
The Muscat Chamber Music Series relies on the generosity of sponsors.
Its primary supporters are Oman Arab Bank and Ominvest. Other supporters include the Embassy of Germany in Oman, the British Embassy in Oman, Omantel, Strabag Oman LCC, Holiday Hotels & Resorts, Al Shabiba, Al Royal, Merge 104.8, Al Wisal 96.5, and Muscat Printing Press. The patron is Brigadier Ramis Jamaan Al Oweira, Director General of Music, the Royal Guard Oman.
Source: www.timesofoman.com