How Sheikha Alia Bint Khalid Al Qassimi is shaping next generation of Emirati musicians: 'Everything is possible in UAE'

Dubai: For Sheikha Alia Bint Khalid Al Qassimi, the mission is clear: create a generation of young Emiratis who see music not as a pastime, but as a profession and a point of national pride.

Warm, assured and fiercely passionate about nurturing homegrown talent, the Managing Director of the UAE National Orchestra is helping build an ecosystem where Emirati children interested in orchestral music are finally being given a serious platform to grow, perform and eventually represent the UAE on global stages.

“Investment in people is the most important thing,” Al Qassimi told Gulf News during a sit-down interview about the orchestra’s long-term vision for Emirati musicians.

At the centre of that effort is Tashyeed, the orchestra’s first dedicated programme focused on developing Emirati orchestral talent.

The 13-month programme currently includes 17 young Emirati musicians who will undergo mentorship sessions, technical workshops and ensemble training before eventually performing with the UAE National Orchestra.

“What makes Tashyeed very special is they will be working hand in hand under the same roof of an orchestra,” Al Qassimi said.

“They will be getting this environment from the very beginning.”

For Al Qassimi, the programme is about more than technical training. It is about changing perceptions within society and encouraging families to see the arts as a viable future for their children.

“Music has always been seen as a long-time hobby,” she said. “But that was way before the National Orchestra exists today.”

She believes the UAE’s rapidly growing cultural sector has opened up genuine opportunities for Emiratis to pursue music professionally.

“Music is seen as a real career path for so many musicians who would love to join it as a full-time job,” she said.

“If your kid has what it takes and they are willing to be dedicated and committed, then allow them to take this as a full-time job.”

The programme itself, she explained, was carefully designed to prepare young Emiratis for orchestral careers both in the UAE and internationally.

“We wanted to make sure that Tashyeed is what today’s talent need in order for them to join the orchestra in the future, whether here or internationally,” she said.

Al Qassimi also spoke passionately about the emotional and cultural importance of music.

“Music and art are the reasons why we can go on with our days,” she said. “It has a very strong soft power that we don’t see as well.”

That philosophy is reflected in the orchestra’s repertoire, which blends Western classical traditions with Emirati and Arabic musical influences.

“Our repertoire has so many different elements,” she explained. “It has Western classical music, it has Emirati music, it has Arabic music. What makes this sound very distinctive is the blend.”

Its first concert season included performances across the country.

“We are a national orchestra,” she said. “We represent the country musically.”

Another priority for the orchestra is making classical music more accessible to children and first-time audiences.

Through Once Upon a Tune, a family-focused programme, younger audiences are introduced to instruments and orchestral storytelling in a more engaging way.

“It’s very important that we look at the different age groups and the different diverse communities that we have here in the UAE,” she said. “There’s something for everyone within the community.”

Al Qassimi believes the UAE’s arts scene has evolved dramatically over the last 15 years, with Emirati artists and musicians now becoming increasingly visible within the country’s cultural institutions.

“If we look at how the scene was 15 years ago, it’s completely different than where we stand today,” she said.

“If you go to Louvre Abu Dhabi, you would see Emirati artists. If you go to Zayed National Museum, you will see Emirati musicians performing there.”

Ultimately, she hopes young Emiratis emerging from programmes like Tashyeed will become cultural ambassadors for the UAE internationally.

“They will be the ambassadors to represent their country on a national stage or international,” she said.

“Through them we will be inspiring future generations of musicians to look up to them and say, ‘I want to join the music industry here in the country to represent our country.’”