Tonight, the long-awaited symphony "Desert Rose", composed by the Syrian-American composer Malek Jandali, was shown to the world at the National Museum of Qatar.

The performance coincided with the 10th anniversary of the Cultural Years Initiative, an annual exchange and cooperation program aimed at strengthening the link between cultures and continents through annual bilateral exchanges.

Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums Board of Trustees, attended the symphony show and the anniversary celebrations, as well as the ambassadors of many countries that have partnered with the Years of Culture Program since its inception in 2012, including Japan (2012), the United Kingdom ( 2013), Brazil (2014), Turkey (2015), China (2016), Germany (2017), Russia (2018), India (2019), France (2020), USA (2021), and MENA region And South Asia 2022 this year, and other countries.

Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani said in a speech on the occasion to the audience: "When the State of Qatar won the right to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, we developed a plan for the Cultural Years initiative aimed at bringing the world to the heart of Qatar and drawing the name of the country in the hearts of all people, and since Since then, every year we have partnered with another country in a far-reaching program of bilateral cultural exchange."

Her Excellency added, "The cultural years helped us to show our best, carrying us towards the goals of Qatar's national vision, and this year we open our doors to welcome everyone to the long-awaited World Cup. At this historic moment, Qatar celebrates a cultural year with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa and South Asia combined, extending its thanks and gratitude to the efforts of these countries, and thanked the officials and ambassadors who “united their efforts to achieve our vision.”

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performed "Desert Rose" with guest conductor Alistair Willis. The symphony's public performance will also be held tomorrow (Monday).

Aisha Ghanem Al-Attiyah, Director of the Cultural Diplomacy Department, said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), that tonight's ceremony is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Cultural Years Initiative, which is based on the idea that when cultures converge, we can create everything that is amazing.

On the significance of celebrating the symphony “Desert Rose” at the Qatar National Museum, whose design was inspired by the French designer Jean Nouvel, this natural wonder, the “Desert Rose”, Aisha Al-Attiyah confirmed that Malek Jandali was able to weave a charming musical panel with authentic Middle Eastern melodies that honor and preserve his Syrian heritage, And also our rich Qatari heritage.

For his part, Malek Jandali said in a similar statement to QNA that the "Desert Rose" symphony celebrates the Arab civilization and Islamic cultural heritage, as well as the folk and folk music of Qatar from land and sea heritage such as Umm Al Hanaya, Al Aydoh, Arab maqamat and Gulf rhythms.

He explained that he composed the symphony from nine movements, and that he was inspired by that, from the flag of Qatar with nine heads, which calls for peace in its white color .. and that each of them depends on a distinct element in the Qatari culture.

Jandali pointed out that the "Desert Rose" is for peace to celebrate our rich civilizational heritage and contribute to cultural modernity in the world, noting that the symphony was recorded in the Austrian capital Vienna led by Marin Allsop, one of the most prominent leaders of orchestras of our time.. Today we celebrate its launch. In Qatar National Museum, performed by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

The orchestral composer Malek Jandali said: "Through this partnership, which came at its time, with the Cultural Years Initiative, I am honored to present the Qatari musical traditions to the world arena, where we contribute together, with our rich Arab heritage in adding to the dictionary of classical music and in the advancement of cultural modernity. bands from all over the world to join the symphony of peace, unity and humanity.

Regarding the time he took to compose this orchestral work, Jandali revealed that the symphony is the culmination of more than four years of research and exploration, as the author has devoted himself to delving into the sounds and landscapes of Qatar with the aim of preserving Qatari cultural heritage and traditions and presenting them to the global stage.

In recognition of his support and contribution to the preservation of cultural heritage, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani announced the selection of Malek Jandali to be the new honorary composer for Qatar Museums.

And just like the Desert Rose, the Desert Rose symphony has an elaborately interwoven composition. The symphony, which is played on the scale (not a large depression), where the first and last musical movements end, consists of three overlapping musical forms. The first is a country symphony group based on traditional folk music and dances using the principle of contrast: the second, third, fifth and seventh musical movements. The second is a traditional symphony consisting of four musical movements, the first, fourth, sixth and ninth. The third combines the first two symphonies and the eighth movement, producing the wonderful "Desert Rose".

The Desert Rose album is inspired by the Desert Rose, which is formed naturally over thousands of years through the interaction of minerals, sand and water in regions such as Qatar - the land of the desert and seas. This natural wonder was also the inspiration for Jean Nouvel's magnificent design for the National Museum of Qatar, an enchanting design in the form of interlocking discs that tells the story of Qatar, from natural history to cultural developments, through advanced technologies, and the attraction it enjoys today among the international community.

The Desert Rose symphony takes inspiration from the Desert Rose and transforms it into a masterful musical work that preserves and expands the rich heritage of the region.

It is worth noting that Malek Jandali's music is described as "very mysterious" according to "Gramophone Magazine" and that it is filled with "heart-struck melodies, rich compositions, and the perfect transition between musical movements and creative musical texture", according to "American Record Guide".

Jandali's symphonic works not only harmoniously integrate Middle Eastern styles into Western classical forms, but also meet UNESCO's call to preserve and protect the rich cultural heritage of his native Syria while it is being obliterated.

Jandali's music was played and commissioned by many symphony orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Russian Philharmonic Orchestra.