NYU Abu Dhabi will host tomorrow a micro-festival of electronic music to unveil “Noise from the Middle East,” an NYUAD Music Program initiative aimed at promoting electronic music in the Middle East. The festival will take place at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, beginning at 6:30pm on Thursday, April 24, 2014.

“Noise from the Middle East" unites artists from different Middle Eastern countries to showcase their music and voice their thoughts on how this particular genre continues to evolve in the region.

Taking the shape of a micro-festival, the program consists of a panel discussion with Neil van der Linden, Gulf cultural expert and musicologist, and Carlos Guedes, NYUAD associate professor of Music. The festival, which is primarily geared toward demonstrating the vitality and diversity of electronic music in the Middle East, will also feature a performance by renowned musicians Hasan Hujairi, Mazen Kerbaj, Karim Sultan, and Mahmoud Refat. 

Guedes said: “The electronic music genre has become democratized due to the easy access to software for music creation and is perhaps the best way to demonstrate musical talent without having to undergo formal music instruction.”

“Not surprisingly, there is a lot of musical talent in this region. I have organized conferences and festivals of electronic music in the past, which is why I thought it would be a great idea to start activating this area in Abu Dhabi, having as the main priority the promotion of talent from the Middle East.”

The micro-festival will also include a public workshop to further the understanding of this genre, during which the artists at the event will demonstrate to students and the public hands-on approaches to electronic music. 

Guedes concluded: “I hope this is the first of many "Noise from the Middle East" events that will bring every year to Abu Dhabi talent in electronic music.”

 

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