HE Qatar Culture Minister Attends 'Oriental Cheers' Concert Played By Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra

Doha, February 04 (QNA) - HE Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Dr. Hamad Bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, has attended Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra concert which was was performed at Qatar Opera House at Katara cultural village building in the West Bay. It is noted that most concerts of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra are given in the Opera House, Building 16 of the Katara Cultural Village in the West Bay. The concert , played earlier Sunday night hosted Lebanese singer, composer and oud-player Marcel Khalife, who is also an adviser to the orchestra, in addition to the German Radio Choir. Marcel Khalife performed during the festival , 'Chants of the East" or (Tahaleel Al Sharq) , which was being played in Arabic for the first time by the German radio choir . The ceremony also included a musical playing by composer and oud-player Marcel Khalife. Meanwhile Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in cooperation with German Radio Choir, will perform their next ceremony at Qatar National Conference Centre (QNCC), on Friday , Feb.08 , where the two parties would perform the Beethoven: Choral Symphony No. 9. Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) , member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) ,is a young, dynamic orchestra formed to enhance community and culture within Qatar and the region. Created in 2008, QPO fuses Eastern and Western music and features 101 musicians from 30 nations. Led by Maestro Lorin Maazel, QPO performs works from a diverse collection of composers including Ludwig van Beethoven, Maurice Ravel and QPO s own resident composer, Marcel Khalifa, who has created two specially-commissioned pieces - Arabian Concerto and Salute. Opening in grand style with an Inaugural Gala Concert at the Qatar National Theater in Doha, the orchestra has drawn international acclaim, performing in Washington DC, Paris and Italy. Among the larger buildings of the Qatar Cultural Village is the Qatar Opera House. It stands out in height and volume, yet it merges well with the village-style architecture of the surrounding compound. In almost every aspect of the building, a retro-design style prevails. The inside of the main hall was made to resemble a 19th century European concert hall. However, the abundant use of velvet curtains and plush for the seating, probably in combination with the shape of the hall, has been disadvantageous for the acoustics, which are rather dry. This certainly hampers symphonic-music performances. The orchestra does not only play Western classical music, but also has a vast repertoire of Oriental orchestral music, such as the compositions Khalife writes for symphonic orchestra, as well as the orchestral parts for accompanying Arabic singers in the style that Umm Kulthumm, Abdelhalim Hafez and Warda (in Egypt) and Feiruz (in Lebanon) initiated, and which lives on in the Arabic world. For such concerts, the orchestra is able to attract a more local audience. The main hall can receive about 800 spectators. The building is also home to a smaller Drama Theatre, a multipurpose space that plays host to theatre and films. This hall can seat about 300 people. (QNA)