Music of the United Arab Emirates

The music of the United Arab Emirates stems from the Eastern Arabia music traditions. Distinctive dance songs from the area's fishermen are also well-known. Liwa (or leiwah / leywah) is a type of music and dance performed mainly in communities which contain descendants of Bantu peoples from the African Great Lakes region, and hybrid Afro-Arab rhythms such as the Sha'abi al-Emirati and Bandari remain the standard in both traditional and popular music in this historically cosmopolitan country.

Performers in the country include Mohammed Al Muhairi (better known as Mehad Hamad), Ahlam Ali Al Shamsi, and Hussain Al Jasmi.

The Emirati-American composer Mohammed Fairouz has been commissioned to premiere his fifth symphony at the Abu Dhabi Festival in 2020^[1]

In 2020 Emirati Composer Ihab Darwish was commissioned by The Palm Fountain (Dubai, UAE) - world’s largest fountain by the Guinness Book of World Record, to compose an official musical theme “Aim For The Sky” as a sonic brand and its signature music. The composition pays homage to the UAE's culture as well as capture Dubai's cosmopolitanism and is performed regularly at The Palm Fountain at The Pointe, Dubai, from December 1, 2020.^[2]

In 2021 Abu Dhabi Festival commissioned Emirati composer Ihab Darwish, in collaboration with Emmy-winning composer John Debney and Academy Award-winning composer David Shire, to celebrate the historic opening of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi. Bringing together top international composers, musicians and vocal ensembles from Christian, Jewish and Muslim backgrounds, the Symphony of Three. Peace, love, tolerance celebrates unity and peace.^[3] The premiere took place on December 30, 2022, and is available online on YouTube.^[4]

In June 2022, Ihab Darwish became the first Emirati invited to be a voting member of the Grammy Recording Academy. Darwish is among 2,000 new voting members requested to join the world’s leading society of music professionals, whose mission is “to recognise excellence in the recording arts and sciences, cultivate the well-being of the music community, and ensure that music remains an indelible part of our culture”.^[5]

^ "Emirati composer Mohammed Fairouz dazzles New York City's Carenegie Hall". The National. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
^ "How Emirati composer Ihab Darwish used Zoom to conduct National Day anthem for the Palm Fountain". The National. 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
^ "THE ABRAHAMIC SYMPHONY: UNITY OF THREE BY IHAB DARWISH, JOHN DEBNEY, AND DAVID SHIRE". Abu Dhabi Festival. Retrieved 2021-12-30.
^ Saeed, Saeed (2023-01-06). "How the Abrahamic Family House inspired an epic symphony of peace, love and tolerance". The National. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
^ Saeed, Saeed (2022-07-01). "Emirati composer Ihab Darwish on why historic vote at Grammys is win for Mena music". The National. Retrieved 2022-07-01.

[1] "Emirati composer Mohammed Fairouz dazzles New York City's Carenegie Hall". The National. Retrieved 2018-07-17.

[2] "How Emirati composer Ihab Darwish used Zoom to conduct National Day anthem for the Palm Fountain". The National. 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2021-12-30.

[3] "THE ABRAHAMIC SYMPHONY: UNITY OF THREE BY IHAB DARWISH, JOHN DEBNEY, AND DAVID SHIRE". Abu Dhabi Festival. Retrieved 2021-12-30.

[4] Saeed, Saeed (2023-01-06). "How the Abrahamic Family House inspired an epic symphony of peace, love and tolerance". The National. Retrieved 2023-02-10.

[5] Saeed, Saeed (2022-07-01). "Emirati composer Ihab Darwish on why historic vote at Grammys is win for Mena music". The National. Retrieved 2022-07-01.

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