The Abu Dhabi Festival 2012 has honoured the lifelong artistic contribution of the legendary Lebanese conductor and composer, the late Dr. Walid Gholmieh (1938 – 2011), posthumously presenting the Abu Dhabi Festival Award. The Abu Dhabi Festival Award is bestowed on Gholmieh in honour of his outstanding lifetime contribution to the arts and culture. Collecting the award on his behalf was His Excellency Fuad Siniora - Former Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Amongst the region’s most eminent composers and conductors, Dr. Walid Gholmieh was the Director of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, and Founder of the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra and the Lebanese National Oriental Orchestra. Over the last fifteen years of his life, Dr Gholmieh played an important role in encouraging and supporting the work of Abu Dhabi Festival organisers, the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF). In April 2006, Gholmieh lead the Lebanese National Oriental Orchestra in a captivating evening of Arabic classics at the third Abu Dhabi Festival.

Gholmieh’s extensive list of compositions includes ‘Ardulfurataini Watan (Land of Two Rivers)’, the Iraqi national anthem from 1979 until 2003. More recently, he was among the artists featured on ‘Plastic Beach’, the 2010 album by Damon Albarn’s virtual band Gorillaz.

Through the Award, the Abu Dhabi Festival 2012 celebrates the life of Dr. Walid Gholmieh, and pays tribute to his unique legacy. Speaking about the contribution of Dr. Walid Ghomlieh, Founder and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, Her Excellency Mrs. Hoda I Al Khamis Kanoo said: “It is true to say that Dr. Walid Ghomlieh was one of a kind. He was a musical pioneer and innovator across the region, overseeing the foundation of a number of two of the region’s most important orchestral groups. He was also a great supporter of the work of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation. He shared our sense of spirit that we must raise the bar of understanding of the arts and culture across the region. We are honoured to posthumously bestow the Abu Dhabi Festival Award on Dr. Walid in recognition of his support for ADMAF and his role as a leading light in the region’s cultural scene.”

The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation Creativity Award was also presented in the short ceremony. Offered in association with Chopard, the ADMAF Creativity Award recognises and celebrates the outstanding achievements in the arts in the Emirates. The 2012 ADMAF Creativity Award was presented to ten students of UAE University in Al Ain. Through a variety of ADMAF-led initiatives including Young Media Leaders (YML), City University New York CATCUNY Theatre in Education Residency and others, these students have continually marked themselves out as future leaders in culture. The YML recipients are Hasan Murad Al Beloushi, Mona Ahmed Alhammoudi, Khawlah Khalfan Ali Al Neaimy and Ranim Ibrahim Albloushi. The CAT CUNY students who received the award were Asma Rashid Saif Al Shamsi, Fatoum Saeed Ahmed Al Shikh, Haya Ali Abdulla Ali Mohamed Bin Younes Al Tenaiji, Huda Mohammed Salim Mohammed Rashid Al Qaydi, Tamadhar Ahmed Amer Al Rawas and Zainab Ahmed Ali Hassan Al Baloushi.

H.E. Mrs. Kanoo said: “Each year it gives me great pleasure to congratulate the next generation for their commitment and achievement in the arts. This year I am delighted that the ADMAF Creativity Award will be presented to UAE University. Through this initiative, ADMAF is contributing to the professional development of tomorrow’s teachers, equipping them with a dynamic set of techniques and skills that will help address the learning challenges of the future. We hope that through recognising their contribution, others will follow their lead.”

The Awards were presented by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research President and Patron of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, Her Excellency Mrs. Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, Founder and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala and His Excellency Fuad Siniora - Former Prime Minister of Lebanon.

For further information and details of the full Abu Dhabi Festival programme, ‘like’ us on Facebook and ‘follow’ us on Twitter or visit www.abudhabifestival.ae

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