Al Ain will be a hub of music next month with two festivals running simultaneously.
The Al Ain Music Festival returns for its second edition on October 31. The three-week event will feature local and international artists and a wide variety of musical styles, ranging from rock and blues to folk and classical.
A more competitive atmosphere can be found in the Al Ain Festival Competition: The Gardens of Sheikh Zayed, which runs from November 11 to 16.
Organised by the Elite Music Institute in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, the event will also feature guest performances by international artists.
The Al Ain Music Festival
Year two is bigger and better than the inaugural event, according to the
organiser and Al Ain resident Martin Hill, who says the festival will continue to feature its mix of local and international acts.
The opening night will be a rocking affair, with The Halloween Rock and Blues Evening at Sands Club. It will feature minor music royalty, with Bryan Dedman fronting his own band. The American is an insructor at the House of Arts Music Institute in Al Ain and an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist who has performed with the likes of B B King, Jewel and Hootie and the Blowfish.
“He is a world-class talent,” says Hill. “And he lives only a few kilometres away, so the festival is a great place to see some of the local talent we have.”
The Al Ain Festival also has an educational element, with woodwind instruments this year’s key topic of discussion. A woodwind evening will be held on November 14, featuring performances and discussions by the Auburra Duo at the Al Ain International School.
The bill also includes a folk music night, with the English duo Kevin Dempsey and Joe Broughton headlining the Sands Club on November 20.
The festival rounds off the following night at the Al Ain International School with Classics and More, a concert featuring a performance by the Al Ain Chamber Orchestra.
The Al Ain Festival Competition: The Gardens of Sheikh Zayed
This new event aims to cater to classical-music lovers and children, says organiser and Elite Music Institute managing director Marina Zamfir.
“It’s about promoting musical and cultural traditions,” she says. “We want to encourage children and young people to study music, while at the same time enhancing Emirati talent.”
The festival has two components: on the live music front there will be two free piano recitals by international guests at The Municipality Theatre.
On November 12, South Africa’s Richard Lewis will bring his minimalist compositions to Al Ain. The following night the acclaimed Russian performer Polina Fedotova and Ioannis Potamousis from Greece will take to the stage for a joint performance.
All of the international performers will also take part in lectures and workshops during the festival.
November 15 is reserved for the competition, with sections for piano, stringed instruments, wind instruments and percussion, singing, acting and poetry.
All of the categories are open to contestants of all nationalities, with categories for children and adults.
The winners will receive diplomas, gifts and a chance to perform at the festival’s closing concert.
Al Ain got talent
Hill says the aim of the Al Ain Music Festival is to showcase the city’s talents to the whole country, and the people of Al Ain in particular.
“We want them to believe in the talents they have in their community,” he says. “There is this deception that all good music is outside, with concerts on Yas Island and at Meydan racecourse.
“What we are saying is that there are plenty of talented people living nearby and it would be unfortunate if people don’t see that.”
Zamfir says that the Al Ain Competition is about implementing a musical culture among the locals: “We want to plant the seeds of development and provide the necessary talent to enrich the minds of all music lovers.”
For more details about the Al Ain Music Festival, visit www.alainmusicfestival.com. For information about the Al Ain Competition, call Elite Music Institute on 02 445 4909 or 050 102 7978
sasaeed@thenational.ae
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Main card
Bantamweight 56.4kg: Mehdi Eljamari (MAR) beat Abrorbek Madiminbekov (UZB), Split points decision
Super heavyweight 94 kg: Adnan Mohammad (IRN) beat Mohammed Ajaraam (MAR), Split points decision
Lightweight 60kg: Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Faridoon Alik Zai (AFG), RSC round 3
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Taha Marrouni (MAR) beat Mahmood Amin (EGY), Unanimous points decision
Light welterweight 64.5kg: Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) beat Nouredine Samir (UAE), Unanimous points decision
Light heavyweight 81.4kg: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Haroun Baka (ALG), KO second round
Key recommendations
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- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
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Rating: 4/5
Skewed figures
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May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
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6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
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The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
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UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
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Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
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“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
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Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
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Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
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