With the recent spectacular National Day celebrations behind us, what’s next on the capital’s fun-filled calendar? We caught up with Till Janczukowicz, artistic director of Abu Dhabi Classics, to find out what everybody loves about this major event

You’ve said that classical music doesn’t belong to any one nation but to everyone. How does an event like Abu Dhabi Classics foster that idea?

Abu Dhabi is a dynamic and globalised place, communicating with the cultures of the world and taking care of its own tradition in a very responsible way. Classical music itself has become a very international issue. When we present a concert at Abu Dhabi Classics, it is possible that the symphony orchestra is Dutch, the conductor Italian and the music has been composed by an Austrian.

When the orchestra then performs a Young People’s Concert, at least 30 percent of the public are young Emiratis. We are very happy about this huge interest. All this shows that classical music is the property of all human beings and that there is much artistic talent and creativity in the local society.

Why is Abu Dhabi such an ideal venue for hosting this event?

Abu Dhabi has defined culture as an indispensable element for the society and in education. Abu Dhabi has established itself as the cultural hub of the Middle East. When people abroad speak about culture in the Middle East, they mean Abu Dhabi – they mention Art Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Classics, the Al Ain Classics Festival, Saadyiat Island and the government which is initiating all these activities.

What would you say is the greatest benefit of participating in Abu Dhabi Classics for the performers?

At our evening concerts, we regularly see at least ten ambassadors. Our public comes from more than 30 different nations, are very enthusiastic and have developed a very fine sense for quality. Musicians feel this and love to play for the Abu Dhabi public. And all musicians adore Al Ain. Concerts at the Al Jahili Fort are a unique experience that you will not have in any other part of the world. It is a mixture of Al Ain’s special energy, the history of the Al Jahili Fort and a pureness that inspires the artists and that motivates great music making.

Are you a musician yourself? What is your artistic background?

I am a concert pianist myself. The process of running Abu Dhabi Classics is similarly a creative process – like music making. You have a vision and you have to find out how to bring this vision to life. The principle is purely artistic and very comparable to music making. It’s all about transforming an idea into reality.

How did you first get involved with Abu Dhabi Classics?

Envisioned by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), we developed Abu Dhabi Classics from the beginning as a series with events taking place during the entire year. At the same time, we wanted to focus on education and encourage tourism. Almost all musicians coming to Abu Dhabi go to schools to work with kids and students. This makes Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Classics very different from many other series in the world.

How do you see Abu Dhabi Classics evolving in the future?

The enthusiasm for classical music and Abu Dhabi Classics has risen immensely since the first season. We started working with four schools in the first year. Now, we have a list of 40 schools and universities that are waiting to collaborate with us. We cannot accommodate all enquiries for our Young People’s Concerts. Last season, all our concerts were sold out. In addition, last year we had more than 1,000 European tourists that came to the Emirates only because of Abu Dhabi Classics. Tourists who love classical music are proven spenders, so this makes Abu Dhabi Classics also economically interesting. They all buy flight tickets, stay in hotels and spend money in the United Arab Emirates.

Laura Fulton

This year’s Abu Dhabi Classics concert series calendar is coming soon – keep an eye on Abu Dhabi Week for details about the entire season.