QU launches first edition of Awtar 2022 competition

The Student Activities Department at Qatar University (QU) has launched the first edition of Awtar 2022 competition, in co-operation with the Music Affairs Centre of the Ministry of Sports and Culture. The competition aims to broaden students' cultural awareness, foster their musical sensitivity, and identify and nurture their creative abilities. The competition for the two instruments, the oud and the piano, will take place from today (August 22) until October 3.Abdullah al-Mulla, director of Student Activities at QU, said: "The competition's debut fits into the context of the student life plan, which supports and empowers students' skills, college life's extracurricular activities. This competition, which is in its inaugural year, offers college students a promising chance to develop their musical and artistic abilities, to feel empowered personally, and to be recognised at the local, national, and international levels.”“At the conclusion of the competition, we hope to identify musical artistic talents, help participants polish their musical abilities, and inspire youngsters to participate in a creative atmosphere that will strengthen their sense of national pride. I can only express my gratitude for your major contributions to the fields of artistic and musical output,” added, al-Mulla.Khaled al-Salem, director of the Centre for Music Affairs, said: “The Awtar competition comes within a series of prior partnerships and within the forthcoming plans that contain numerous ideas on the agenda of upcoming activities between two sides.”Buthaina al-Janahi, head of the Department of Culture and Arts at the university, said: “This competition seeks to identify and develop the skills of students while also encouraging them to take part actively, particularly in fostering national identity through technical levels and knowledge of creation in the creative and musical domains. There will be three stages to the competition.”Artist Nasser Sahim, member of the jury and deputy executive director of the Qatar Orchestra, revealed the members of the jury. They are distributor and music composer Mohammed al-Marri and composer Mohammed al-Banna.