The Qatari song festival, held at Qatar National Theatre on Friday night, enthralled the audience as they wished for more such musical treats in the future.
Held under the patronage and in the presence of HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali, Friday’s event was attended by a big audience and turned out be a major success.
Also present were a number of VIP guests, officials from the Ministry of Culture and Sports, dignitaries and leading Qatari artistes.
The event was held under the supervision of the Centre of Music Affairs at the ministry and saw the participation of renowned Qatari singers, musicians and songwriters, including Ali Abdul Sattar, Fahad al-Kubaisi, Mansour al-Mohannadi, Saad al-Fahd, Issa al-Kubaisi, Assil Hamim, Mohamed al-Jabir and Nasser al-Kubaisi.
The musical band was led by Iraqi musician Ali Khassaf and accompanied by international pianist Sonja Park and 50 skilled musicians from around the world.
The seats of the theatre were packed with people from different age groups, all of whom appreciated the initiative of the ministry to encourage creativity and local musical talents.
The audience cheered on as a night of exquisite music highlighted the skills and potential of local singers. Some new songs were also performed for the first time on the occasion.
The event started with the national anthem and concluded with a group song expressing love for Qatar and its leadership, and the various achievements of the country. During most of the songs, whose themes varied between folk, romantic, traditional, patriotism and others, the audience actively interacted with the singers and craved for more.
The accompanying music reflected the local tastes and tunes featuring the distinctive GCC and Qatari melodies and percussion, thus creating an atmosphere of happiness, joy and enthusiasm among the audience. It was clear that the audience was immensely taken in by the local tunes and the soulful voices got them to cheer on with zeal.
The event was preceded by extensive preparations and rehearsals to produce a splendid night, and the theatre was decorated to reflect the identity and achievements of the country. Models of the National Museum of Qatar were placed in various parts of the venue.
The event provided an opportunity for talented Qatari singers and musicians to display their skills and develop their ability to showcase the original Qatari heritage to the audience. At the same time, the audience appreciated the success of the festival stressing that it was an exceptional event that entertained them to a great extent.
In a speech published in the booklet of the ceremony, HE the Minister of Culture and Sports stressed that the “Qatari singing is an expression of the authentic conscience of Qataris and is a true interpreter of their conditions, hopes and national cohesion”, the official Qatar News Agency added.
In a gesture from the organising committee, the late Qatari composer Hassan Ali was honoured and a documentary film on his artistic history was also screened.

Source:gulf-times.com

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