It is said that an orchestra is like a family.
Such was the vibe behind the stage at Friday’s debut performance by the Emirates Community Orchestra (ECO) at Alliance Française in Bur Dubai as part of this year’s World Music Day celebrations.
Pre-show, the 30-piece collective was full of excitement: violin members were in the outside courtyard perfecting their opening notes, a flugelhorn player was steadying his nerves by pacing in circles and a member of the clarinet section spent the minutes before the show chatting with friends.
Observing all of this from a quiet corner was Fabrice Deniau.
Dressed in a finely cut tuxedo, the orchestra founder looked the picture of satisfaction; his year-long project was finally reaching fruition.
An accomplished oboe player in his native France, the Dubai airline pilot was initially looking for a small group of musicians to perform small gigs around the city.
“There is famous French saying that says we should put some art in our lives and our lives in our art,” says Deniau.
“This is my philosophy and so, for me to continue playing and performing is very important.”
A grander vision for an orchestra took shape a year ago when Deniau took his 7 year-old stepdaughter to Dubai’s Music Chamber School for violin classes.
In one of the sessions, Deniau brought his oboe along and went into an impromptu classical jam with the violin instructor.
Intrigued by the rich tones of the instrument, other stringed musicians entered the classroom and joined in; by the end of the session, the group of five formed the seeds of what would eventually be the ECO.
“But for it to be a real orchestra we needed to show the motivation and commitment to the rehearsals,” says Deniau.
“That eventually came with time.”
And with some additional help. Deniau, who is also a member of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) – one the country’s biggest classical collectives – struck up a conversation with the NSO’s first bassoon player Jonathan Armes.
Inspired by the concept, Armes, an English music teacher and also a trained conductor, offered to musically lead the ECO.
“It began with it really being a social occasion, with people having fun in rehearsals. We didn’t know that it would all lead eventually to a concert.”
The idea for the gig came from Deniau wanting to challenge himself and the orchestra.
It if it wasn’t for a show, he explains, the ECO wouldn’t be a durable concept.
“The point of this project is that I want it to continue,” he says.
“That way it then grows to be more than an orchestra, it becomes a community, a social group and really a family with all these different nationalities. But to do that we have to first really play together, because that’s the spirit of an orchestra.”
Mohammed Al Mulla knows all about live performances.
Standing calmly outside the auditorium, the Emirati has been conducting the Sharjah Police Science Academy Marching Band for more than a decade.
He joined the ECO as a clarinet player to seek new musical thrills.
“It is something totally different for me,” he says.
“With the marching band we were doing a certain type of music that was more military. But for me, western classical music is my first love. So to be in this environment is really beautiful and, especially, to meet these talented people.”
For the ECO’S timpani player Quazi Uddeen, the orchestra was an opportunity to return to music after a nearly two-decade absence.
An airline ground staff, Uddeen also played the instrument in an orchestra in his native Bangladesh, additionally, he performed with the 1990s Bangladeshi rock band LRB.
“I used to love touring,” he says.
“We played in India many times and we even played in Seoul.”
Despite quitting music upon his move to the UAE 11 years ago, Uddeen still practised the timpani quietly at home.
“I would place boxes and cartons and would play on it with the classical music on the radio,” he says.
“This was just for me to practise and not to lose my skills totally.”
Speaking before his first orchestra gig in almost 20 years, Uddeen is all smiles.
“My heart really feels at peace today because I am performing again,” he says.
“Whatever happens, it is going to be great.”
The ECO'S first performance of Beethoven's 1st Symphony was an unqualified success.
Nearly 200 people packed the auditorium, with a few latecomers forced to watch from the lobby.
For the Romanian violinist Anna Popescu, the show was more than personally fulfilling.
“Musicians are meant to play together,” she said.
“It’s the only way to learn and get better. If you take an orchestra away from the musician, they feel like a part of them is missing.”
• The group will release a new performance schedule after Ramadan. To join the Emirates Community Orchestra email contact@emiratescommunityorchestra.com