Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen,

What an honour it is to join you tonight at this very first Tanweer Festival. And where better to hold this festival than Mleiha—a place steeped in mystery and spiritual energy? I’m sure you all feel it.

I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my dear friend, Her Excellency Shaykha Bodour Bint Sultan Al-Qasimi, for her visionary leadership. This festival—rooted in tradition, wisdom, and a deep reverence for the Sacred—is a testament to her passion for creating spaces for reflection, unity, and illumination. Shaykha Bodour, your efforts are a beacon of light in a world that so desperately needs it.

The theme of this first year’s festival is drawn from Rumi’s message of “Love and Light” and it is not only timely but deeply resonant. As we look around at the challenges facing humanity and our fragile planet, Rumi’s words from eight centuries ago feel more urgent than ever.

I want you to know that tonight’s concert is a deeply personal offering for me. I don’t perform often, but when Shaykha Bodour invited me to be part of this festival, I felt an undeniable pull to be here, to share this moment with all of you.

I’m joined tonight by an incredible ensemble of musicians, each a master of their craft. Thanks to their dedication and artistry you can experience tonight’s music in all its subtlety, richness, and majesty.

Please join me in welcoming:

The brilliant Nabyla Maan from Morocco. The beauty of her voice makes every melody shine brighter. 

From Amsterdam: the extraordinary Ahmed Al-Mai—an arranger and multifaceted musician,

and the immensely talented vocalist Salah Mesbah, both originally from Morocco.

From Paris: the acclaimed Guillaume Bleton and award-winning Antoine Morinière, both on classical guitar.

And a stunning ensemble of instrumentalists: 

Pouya Saraei, on santur from Iran. 

The incredible team from Turkey:

Onur Erdem On the baglama.

Tuncay Tuncay On the qanun. 

Tolga Saraçoğlu On the ney.

and

Ufuk Akin Ince on percussion.

From Azerbaijan we’re delighted to have:

Khasay Sardar on Oud.

and Magsad Azizov on balaban.

On daf and bendir, Muhammad Jaberi joins us from London. 

And please welcome our outstanding vocalists:

AbdulRazzak Barma from Syria

Alawi Al Safi from United Arab Emirates

Sama Issa Hamed Al Taei from Oman

And

Abeer El Sayed from Palestine

Together, these artists and I hope to take you on a journey through sound that echoes Rumi’s call to ‘love and light.’ Each note, each rhythm, is an invitation to connect with the Sacred and with one another.

You’ve just heard one of my recent compositions, ‘Ven Mi Alma’.

The rest of the evening’s programs feature new arrangements of En al-Ándalus / Jadaka Ghaiyth, Ilahana, A Dancing Heart, To Guide You Home, Lama Bada Yatathanna, and Madad. Woven into each piece you’ll hear echoes from other musical traditions and other languages, reflecting the remarkable diversity of our human family.

And now, we’ll continue.

But before we start, I want to thank each of you for being here. It’s your presence that keeps the sacred art of music alive. 

Enjoy.