Concert by French singer Ambroisibe Bre on April 17

The newly-constituted Chamber Music Society of Qatar and embassies of six countries have joined hands to hold a music concert by French singer Ambroisibe Bre on April 17.The concert at The Mondrian Doha is the first of a series featuring established musicians, according to organisers. The embassies involved include France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Germany and The Netherlands.French ambassador Eric Chevalier said yesterday that Bre will be backed by the event’s artistic director and renowned pianist Sonja Park.They will be accompanied by two musicians - Dmitri Torchinsky (violin) and Hassan Moataz el Molla (cello) - from the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO). “The concert will be in honour of the legendary French composer Achille-Claude Debussy,” the envoy said, adding that the concert supports the non-profit foundation, Moving Young Artists, which has been promoting classical music and nurturing young local talent in Qatar for nearly four years now.Belgian ambassador Bart De Groof said that his country cherishes a rich tradition, culture and heritage in musical composition from such Renaissance pioneers as Orlandus Lassus to classical era giants like Gossec and Gretry or from the 19th to 21st centuries, Cesar Franck, Peter Benoit, Eugene Ysave and more recently Wim Mertens and Dirk Brosse.“These stalwarts wrote intimate music for small audiences, taking delight in the universality of the language of music. Thus Belgium as a small-scale country produced some of the finest small-scale masterpieces,” Groof added. The Netherlands ambassador Bahia Tahzib-Lie observed that music can bring people from all walks of life and cultures together and has the power to bond and unify people beyond all man-made borders. British ambassador Ajay Sharma said an up and coming British musician is to be invited to perform with the QPO as part of this initiative. “Qatar and the UK already enjoy strong musical links and through these events we hope to inspire a new generation of musicians,” said Sharma.German ambassador Hans Udo Muzel said the series is a remarkable attempt to promote understanding on international level in Qatar through cultural diplomacy. “Our embassy is encouraging this creative festival, bringing to life music and culture from a wide variety of countries and artists in a playful and engaging manner”.Austrian ambassador Willy Kempel said, “Music is the external language of our inner feelings, thus connecting us to ourselves and the world around us in more than one way”.While echoing her feelings, Sonja Park said she believes in Khalil Gibran’s words “Music is the language of the spirit ... it opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife. Music, indeed, is a powerful tool and a global language that galvanises nations with its message of peace and unity.”While Qatar Airways is the official airline partner, The Mondrian Doha is the hospitality partner. Fifty One East and FNAC are also actively supporting the event.