Curtain comes down on String Festival

The curtain came down yesterday on the first edition of The Fifth String Festival in the presence of a large gathering of people from all walks of life.The festival which kicked off on Saturday, witnessed the participation of 14 renowned musicians whose performances held the audiences spell-bound.  The festival’s finale presented performances were by maestros Mohamed al-Sulaiti (Qatar), Mehmet Bitmez (Turkey), Arten Elyaz (Kosovo), and the much-awaited dual performances of Abbadi al-Jawher (Saudi Arabia) and Ahmad Fathi (Yemen).The finale also witnessed performances by Al-Salam Group (Tanzania) and the Hejaz Kar Group (France) at Katara’s Amphitheatre. On Monday, there were solo and group performances by musicians representing Iraq, Syria, Turkey and France.  The organisers had made arrangements for an array of events that appeal to all music lovers. These included concerts at Katara’s Opera House, Ziryab’s theatre and an Oud exhibition. The events featured performances by Arab musicians including famous names such as Khalid al-Shaikh (Bahrain), Dr Ibrahim Tami (Kuwait), Salem al-Meqarshi (Oman), and Ehab Mohamed (Saudi Arabia).On the side, five stages had been set up at the Cultural Village premises, where groups of skilled Oud makers presented their unique Oud-making techniques, providing visitors a chance to interact with them. The craftsmen, called Oud luthiers, came from Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria and Germany. The festival’s manager, Mohamed Abdullah al-Marzooqi, awarded all participants with a souvenir.  While the festival drew in a large number of enthusiasts, it also served to highlight the position and value of the Oud in Arab history and culture. Through seminars and exhibitions; the event created an opportunity to discuss the technical and scientific methods most suited to the Oud industry. Discussions touched on the various styles popular in playing and performing the instrument.