Monday, Feb 27, 2017

ChoirFest Middle East, an annual festival across Dubai that highlights the region’s choral community, will start from February 26 and run until March 4.

The festival includes workshops, masterclasses, and ultimately, a competition. Choir of the Year is a contest between 12 regional choirs, taking place on March 3 at the Els Club, and open to the public. Tickets are Dh100 to attend.

The festival will culminate in a gala performance by leading European group London Community Gospel Choir on March 4 at the Els Club. Tickets to attend the gala start at Dh250.

Gulf News tabloid! reached out to organisers to find out five must-know things about the event:

1. The headliners of the event, the London Community Gospel Choir, provided a starting point for several recording artists including Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Sting, Paul McCartney, Brian May, Luther Vandross, Tina Turner and George Michael.

2. A new addition to this year’s ChoirFestME: Al Bayt pop-up venue and restaurant in Alserkal Avenue. It will offer the public a chance to mingle with the choirs that are partaking in the festival. Al Bayt, which translates to ‘the house’, is free to enter. On March 2, a special event dubbed Ghani Fil Bayt will have performances from 7pm.

3. The Nahid Ensemble of Afghan, performing at Ghani Fil Bayt, is comprised of students of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM), which has a special focus on supporting the disadvantaged. Many members of the Nahid Ensemble come from host orphanages or were previously street working children and represent provinces across the country including Nuristan, Kunar, Farah, and Bamiyan.

4. The Siraj Band will perform at the Choir of the Year competition on March 3 at Els Club. The Moroccan group, comprised of seven members — five vocalists, one percussionist and one guitarist — rose to popularity on the 2015 season of Arabs Got Talent. They perform in various styles and arrangements, including polyphony and a cappella.

5. If you want to be more than just an audience member, you can sign up online (choirfestme.com) for a workshop or masterclass to try out your vocal skills with professional coaches.

Don’t miss it!

Tickets to attend ChoirFest Middle East’s various events are priced individually. They are available from 800tickets and choirfestme.com.

Marwa Hamad, Staff Reporter

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