World's first Arab orchestra

The 17-year-old Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra is making waves, reports Kavitha S. Daniel

Western classical music is cloaked in mystique. It is imbued with a sublime aura, making it elite and unfathomable.

But, the success of the unique 17-year-old Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra comprising entirely of Omani nationals, has blown this aura away, affirms British conductor Christopher Adey, a specialist in orchestral training and the chief conductor and artistic director of the Royal Oman Orchestra since 2001.

In the capital to conduct the 80 odd musicians of the Royal Oman Orchestra at a high-profile concert organised along with the Abu Dhabi Music Foundation, Adey chats with journalists a day after the Abu Dhabi event about western classical music, the world's first Arab orchestra and the Omani people.

What this orchestra, formed under the directives of the Oman ruler His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, has proved is that western classical music is not the exclusive domain of the western countries, Christopher Adey states at the outset.

"It's not a secret, not separate or different from indigenous folk music of countries, for example, neither is it saying anything more intelligent and special from other kinds of music," he points out. This is the problem with western classical music, he goes on to add, there's such a mystique surrounding it.

Adey continues: "Rather than calling it classical music, I would prefer to refer to this genre as serious music, maybe, where you might have to think a little harder. It's more cerebral, just like serious cinema as opposed to commercial movies. But, it's definitely not something one cannot understand."

He goes on to term western classical music as an international language that registers with everybody. It is a means of expression, not necessarily western culture, Adey points out.

But, the major difficulty an Arab orchestra faces, while playing music that does not belong to their culture or tradition, tends to be capturing the "tone" of the music.

"The main difficulty is the "tone", there's no automatic understanding of the music, which comes with years of belonging to that particular genre of music."

Not being part of their history, the Omanis may falter at the door of technicality. The difficulty lies in the sheer logistics of 80 players trying to play together, balance, understand and follow the split second cue timings, he states.

But, amazingly, the Royal Oman Orchestra seems to have crossed this barrier of 200 years of understanding. "In just 17 years they have managed to learn to play instruments individually and then come together as an orchestra," Adey points out.

The Royal Oman Orchestra, formed under the aegis of the Royal Guard of Oman, gave its inaugural concert on July 1, 1987, only after one year of intensive training. The first public concert followed on July 5, 1988 and since then, this orchestra has performed at nearly 60 concerts in Oman.

In 1988, women joined the orchestra for the first time and, surely but gradually, their standards started to rise. There was a concert in Dubai in 1998 and, more recently, in Belgium where they received rave reviews from journalists.

International language

It was a "risk" the Omanis took to learn an international language, which ultimately paid off, Adey reveals. The Omanis had gone to great lengths to put this orchestra together by going around all the schools in Oman, including villages, to source children in the age group between eight to 14 years, possessing a musical ear and rhythm, chips in Colonel Ramis bin Jumaan Al Oweira, director of music, Coordinator Military bands from the Royal Guard of Oman.

Colonel Ramis, an Omani representing the visiting orchestra, describes the process of how the ensemble was formed initially.

Once the students were picked they were then placed in a special school and were entirely devoted to studying academics and music, even taking the Associated Board Exams from the Trinity College.

"There's no other orchestra I know of which comprises musicians belonging to just one nationality. Countries such as Jordan, Japan and Korea may have one but again, these players were professional musicians before they were inducted into the orchestra.

"But, in the case of the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra the members are picked and then taught and trained. That's very rare and may seem risky as well," points out Adey.

Currently, the orchestra consists of 120 students, but by the end of the year, plans are afoot to inculcate 35 to 40 students into the orchestra. The youngest in the Orchestra is 17 years old, while the oldest is 33. A few of the musicians have married each other, making it easier for the managers of the orchestra.

What's the difference conducting western orchestras vis-à-vis an Arab one? Replies Adey: "Since I was their conductor in 1995 at their anniversary concert, I've become very close to them. They need to be looked after musically, no doubt, because they are not confident, but otherwise it's just the same."

He, however, shares a very good rapport with them and finds that with time, they seem to be finding their own voice.

Romantic repertoire

"In the last few months, especially, I find they are able to express themselves rather than just follow the music notes in front of them. They are beginning to give a sound," Adey adds.

The Royal Oman Orchestra seems to be more comfortable with romantic repertoire and finds it easier to bond with that kind of music, he says. It seems more obvious to them what the composer is trying to say in romantic compositions. For example, there's instant recognition with Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet, Adey admits.

The orchestra has also started to play symphonies composed by Arab musicians, like that of their leader Saif bin Suleiman bin Marhoon Al Miahi's Oman Symphony and other pieces like the Impressions of Oman. As the orchestra tours more Gulf states and acquires more confidence and becomes international, there are plans to release a music CD featuring the orchestra's own compositions.

Having been a principal conductor and professor of conducting at the Royal College of music between 1974 and 1992, Adey remains in constant demand at conservatories throughout the UK. His book Orchestral Performance is a guide for conductor and players and has become a standard work on the subject.

Adey keeps returning to conduct the Oman orchestra. Why? The magnetism and friendliness of the Omanis, he answers. Yet, despite everything, Adey hesitates to take this Arab Orchestra to a few countries.

He explains, "I would hesitate to take them to some places. In London there's a colossal number of top class youth orchestras, so I have to be very, very careful."

But, it's the beginning, and at least they have helped in smashing the rarefied and exclusive aura of western classical music. Which makes the democratic Adey happy for the moment.