A R Rahman: Dubai's all-female Firdaus Orchestra is Groundbreaking

Bollywood legend A R Rahman has called Dubai’s all-female Firdaus Orchestra “groundbreaking” for challenging misconceptions about the Middle East.

Bollywood legend A R Rahman has called Dubai’s all-female Firdaus Orchestra “groundbreaking” for challenging misconceptions about the Middle East.

The Firdaus Orchestra, which is mentored by the Oscar-winning composer, is celebrating its second anniversary in July.

It is made up of 55 musicians hailing from 25 different countries and features Middle Eastern string instruments such as the qanun and oud.

The Firdaus Orchestra's latest performance, The Reinvent Series, interprets the works of legendary composers – such as Johannes Brahms – with a Middle Eastern twist.

This has also been documented in a new 50-minute film released on YouTube to reach wider audiences.

But Rahman has told orchestra members they can achieve more.

“We hope to do much more,” Rahman told The National. “I was telling them that we have to make Firdaus the best orchestra in the world.

“We are pushing everybody so every project is of quality and there should be a surprise element of what comes next.”

Groundbreaking Initiative

Rahman – whose work on director Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire won him Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song in 2009 – put together the Firdaus Orchestra for Expo 2020 Dubai in 2021.

Rahman said the ensemble acts as a “collective statement” that smashes preconceived ideas of music and female musicians in the Middle East region.

“I think the whole idea of the Firdaus Orchestra is such a groundbreaking one,” he said.

“There are so many narratives about the Middle East and this whole attempt to have Firdaus in Expo City breaks it all and says, ‘No’ – it shows what this place is capable of.

It’s an inspiration because it’s about people from different countries and traditions, and they all come together to play music,” he said.

Rahman praised the UAE government for encouraging musicians to follow their dreams.

“There is security here and when people are secure, they create and perform well,” he said.

“All across the world, orchestras are packing up because there is no funding.

“Here, the government is hosting them so beautifully. The way they take care of the orchestra is one of the most important things.”

Source: The National News