A R Rahman: Dubai's all-female Firdaus Orchestra is groundbreaking

Oscar-winning composer says ensemble is challenging stereotypes about music and women in Middle East

Bollywood legend A R Rahman has called Dubai’s all-female Firdaus Orchestra “groundbreaking” for challenging misconceptions about the Middle East.

The Firdaus Orchestra, which is mentored by the Oscar-winning composer, is celebrating its second anniversary in July.

It is made up of 55 musicians hailing from 25 different countries and features Middle Eastern string instruments such as the qanun and oud.

The Firdaus Orchestra's latest performance, The Reinvent Series, interprets the works of legendary composers – such as Johannes Brahms – with a Middle Eastern twist.

This has also been documented in a new 50-minute film released on YouTube to reach wider audiences.

But Rahman has told orchestra members they can achieve more.

“We hope to do much more,” Rahman told The National. “I was telling them that we have to make Firdaus the best orchestra in the world.

“We are pushing everybody so every project is of quality and there should be a surprise element of what comes next.”

Groundbreaking initiative

Rahman – whose work on director Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire won him Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song in 2009 – put together the Firdaus Orchestra for Expo 2020 Dubai in 2021.

Rahman said the ensemble acts as a “collective statement” that smashes preconceived ideas of music and female musicians in the Middle East region.

“I think the whole idea of the Firdaus Orchestra is such a groundbreaking one,” he said.

“There are so many narratives about the Middle East and this whole attempt to have Firdaus in Expo City breaks it all and says, ‘No’ – it shows what this place is capable of.

It’s an inspiration because it’s about people from different countries and traditions, and they all come together to play music,” he said.

Rahman praised the UAE government for encouraging musicians to follow their dreams.

“There is security here and when people are secure, they create and perform well,” he said.

“All across the world, orchestras are packing up because there is no funding.

“Here, the government is hosting them so beautifully. The way they take care of the orchestra is one of the most important things.”

Unique sound

Firdaus means “paradise” in Arabic and the orchestra serves as a legacy of the world’s fair held in the UAE back in 2021.

Rahman hopes that the orchestra’s unique sound will draw in fans from around the world who are keen to listen to a combination of classical and contemporary music that is rich in diversity.

Developing a distinct sound is also crucial for Monica Woodman, Firdaus Orchestra’s conductor.

“I want people to identify that it is the Firdaus sound and not just any orchestra,” she told The National.

“Firdaus is different from the rest.

"We want to show that classical music is not boring.”

Unlike traditional orchestras, Firdaus has an Arabic section, an Indian sitar, drums and an electric bass guitar that would normally be part of a band.

Woodman's goal is to reach beyond people who enjoy listening to classical music, and to tell young people that music as a career can sustain them.

“We want to merge these two worlds – the Middle Eastern and Oriental worlds – with the Western world and encourage younger generations to pursue music,” said the Cuban national.

“We want to say that your gender does not matter, and it doesn't matter where you come from. If you are passionate, you can commit to music and make a living from it.

“One of the big reasons that Firdaus exists is to change the history of music in the region.”

Growing popularity

Firdaus Orchestra has already secured impressive gigs, including sharing a stage with Beyonce in January.

The orchestra performed a specially arranged version of Spirit of Rangeela, from 1995 Bollywood movie Rangeela, with the global star at the grand preview of the Atlantis The Royal hotel at Dubai's Palm Jumeirah. This attracted A-list celebrities from around the world.

The musicians also accompanied Disney Princess – The Concert for five performances at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena in May. The show featured a cast of West End and Broadway performers.

Woodman hopes such high-profile appearances raise the orchestra's profile, so people in the UAE and overseas can discover the musicians’ talent.

“I hope the younger generation, older expats in Dubai, the UAE and the world get to know what Firdaus does,” she said.

“I hope our audience understands that it’s more than playing classical or pop music. We are trying to transmit a very big message about the language that is music.”