Dubai's Firdaus Orchestra conductor on 'extraordinary' performance at the Ambani wedding

All-female ensemble from 28 nations specially invited for three-day event in Mumbai enjoyed a 'once-in-a-lifetime' experience

Firdaus Orchestra conductor Monica Woodman rehearses with her team. Photo: Firdaus Orchestra

As the world watched last month's extravagant Ambani wedding in awe, a groundbreaking orchestra from Dubai provided the soundtrack for the celebrations.

The all-female Firdaus Orchestra performed at the multi-day wedding of Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani.

The three-day Mumbai event was the culmination of celebrations that spanned multiple foreign locations over months and mega parties featuring some of the world's biggest stars, from Kim Kardashian to Katy Perry.

Firdaus Orchestra conductor Monica Woodman says taking part was “an extraordinarily proud moment” for her young orchestra.

“We got a chance to perform at the same event that has seen the likes of other popular artists such as Justin Bieber and Rihanna,” she tells The National.

Founded during Expo 2020 Dubai with Oscar-winning Indian composer A R Rahman as mentor, Firdaus Orchestra is an initiative of Expo City Dubai. It is made up of 56 musicians, all women, between the ages of 20 and 40. Representing more than 28 different nationalities – its members comes from countries including Russia, India, Lebanon, Egypt, Hungary, Mexico, Japan and the UAE – the group is a blend of diverse musical traditions and backgrounds.

The Mumbai performance, the group's first overseas gig, was significant because it showcased the melting pot of cultures evident in the UAE, says Woodman, who became conductor in 2022.

“We have classically trained members hailing from many nationalities who come together to create a melody that incorporates elements from different musical backgrounds,” she says. “So, our ensemble has a strings section, brass section, percussion section and woodwinds section, with the added flair of an Arabian section that we include in all our pieces of work, making every rendition truly unique.

“One of our members, Elham Al Mazrooqi, is the first professional Emirati cellist.”

Woodman and her team were given two-and-a-half-weeks' notice to prepare for the Ambani wedding.

“Our rehearsals happened in two parts, one in Dubai and the second in India,” she explains. “We had a huge programme to get familiar with, consisting of 24 to 25 pieces, so we were dedicated four to five hours a each day to rehearsals.”

Woodman was also coordinating with the event's artistic director “to understand and align with their visions about that specific piece”.

She explains: “When we landed in India, we had three days of rehearsals. They [started off as] full days of eight hours when we went over the line-up and rehearsed with the singers. On the day leading up to the actual event, we were rehearsing for 13 to 15 hours. That included dress rehearsals and the full performance.”

Firdaus Orchestra performed for two days – about four hours each day – at the wedding and shared the stage with some of India's biggest singers, including Rahman himself as well as Shreya Ghoshal, Sukhwinder Singh, Mohit Chauhan, Sonu Nigam, A R Ameen, Jonita Gandhi and Hariharan.

Their repertoire, all Bollywood songs composed by Rahman, was a hit with the A-list attendees, among them the biggest Indian stars as well as Kim Kardashian, John Cena and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Woodman describes it as “an extraordinary experience”.

“It felt like a dream from start to finish,” she says. “The experience was culturally and musically rich. The entire experience was a whirlwind of luxury, beauty and heartfelt emotion. It was a privilege to contribute to such a significant occasion and it's a memory we will cherish forever.

“On the second day, the Ambani family thanked everyone in the ensemble and told us about how the concert we performed impressed all attendees and how the number of artists performing in one place was nothing short of remarkable.”

Firdaus Orchestra has performed with top international stars before, including Beyonce in January last year at the opening of Atlantis The Royal, where they joined the star for a specially arranged version of Spirit of Rangeela, from the 1995 Bollywood movie Rangeela.

They've also shared the stage with Pakistani music star Atif Aslam and performed at Disney Princess – The Concert, which featured a cast of West End and Broadway singers.

While the Ambani wedding was another feather in their cap, more than the glitz and glamour, Woodman feels proud that she and her team got to showcase Dubai as well as some “Firdaus magic” at such a major event.

“I think we did an incredible job and I'm very proud of our ensemble,” she adds. “We are a talented orchestra with musicians from 28 nationalities embodying Dubai's inclusive and progressive spirit.

“The wedding presented us with a wonderful opportunity to share our unique musical heritage, where we mix Western, Arabic and Indian schools of music with a global audience. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one that we will all carry with us as we continue on Firdaus’ journey.”