The UAE National Orchestra will make its Arab World premiere on Saturday, 10 October 2026, at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The concert will open the Abu Dhabi Festival’s 2026 season and bring together the UAE’s national orchestra, Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer and Georgian pianist David Khrikuli.
The programme will feature works by Franz von Suppé, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Antonín Dvo?ák. The concert is significant because it puts the UAE National Orchestra on a major cultural stage while highlighting its mission to connect Emirati musical heritage with Arabic, Western and global musical traditions.
- Date: Saturday, 10 October 2026
- Time: 8 PM to 9:30 PM
- Doors open: 7 PM
- Venue: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
- Organisation: UAE National Orchestra and Abu Dhabi Festival
- Status: Arab World premiere
- Who is performing: UAE National Orchestra, François López-Ferrer and David Khrikuli
- Programme: Works by Franz von Suppé, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Antonín Dvo?ák
- Featured work: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2
- Tickets: The event is ticketed and has assigned seating
The UAE National Orchestra will make its Arab World premiere on Saturday, 10 October 2026, at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, opening the Abu Dhabi Festival’s 2026 season.
The concert will run from 8 PM to 9:30 PM, with doors opening at 7 PM. Led by conductor François López-Ferrer, the evening will feature Georgian pianist David Khrikuli performing Sergei Rachmaninoff’s celebrated Piano Concerto No. 2.
The programme will also include Franz von Suppé’s Overture to Light Cavalry and Antonín Dvo?ák’s Symphony No. 8. The performance marks an important moment for the UAE National Orchestra as it continues to build its place in the country’s growing cultural landscape.
A major moment for the UAE National Orchestra
Founded in 2025 and based in Abu Dhabi, the UAE National Orchestra, also known as UAENO, is a 100-member ensemble that performs across the seven emirates.
The orchestra was established as a national cultural initiative rooted in Emirati musical heritage and connected to the UAE’s diverse community. Its wider vision is to explore connections between musical traditions from the UAE, the Arab world and beyond.
Under the leadership of Chairperson Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the orchestra honours the country’s musical heritage while reflecting the multicultural character of modern UAE society.
The ensemble brings together 70 full-time musicians and 30 part-time choir members. It is developing a distinctive musical identity through a fusion of Arabic and Western musical traditions.
The orchestra also focuses on developing the local music ecosystem. Through training programmes, mentorship and international partnerships, it supports emerging musicians and helps create opportunities for future generations of artists.
Its appearance at Abu Dhabi Festival therefore provides an important platform to showcase both the orchestra’s artistic capabilities and its wider cultural mission.François López-Ferrer takes the podium
The concert will be led by Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer, recipient of the 2024 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.
Born in Switzerland and raised in the United States, López-Ferrer is of Cuban and Spanish heritage. He has earned international recognition for his work across opera, symphonic repertoire, and contemporary music.
He holds a Master of Arts in Conducting from the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne and a Bachelor of Music in Composition from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with leading orchestras, opera houses and festivals across Europe, the United States and Asia.
His guest conducting credits include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Ensemble intercontemporain and the Enescu Philharmonic.
In Spain, he has regularly worked with the Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia and Bilbao Sinfonikoa.
López-Ferrer has also collaborated with internationally recognised soloists, including Nicola Benedetti, Pekka Kuusisto, Boris Giltburg, Pablo Sáinz-Villegas and Clara-Jumi Kang.
An advocate for contemporary music, he has led the US premieres of Pedro Osuna’s Lux Aeterna and Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto.
His previous positions include Resident Conductor of the Académie de l’Opéra de Paris, Associate Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and May Festival, Associate Conductor of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile and Principal Conductor of the Ballet Nacional Chileno.
He was also a Dudamel Fellow with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and won the inaugural Neeme Järvi Prize at the Menuhin Gstaad Festival in 2015.
David Khrikuli will perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2
Georgian pianist David Khrikuli will join the UAE National Orchestra as the featured soloist for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18.
Born in Georgia in 2001, Khrikuli has gained attention for his individual style, expressive intensity and wide dynamic range.
He won First Prize at the 2024 Cantù International Piano and Orchestra Competition in Italy. He also received First and Audience Prizes at the Vigo International Piano Competition in Spain.
His earlier achievements include First Prize and a Special Prize at the Aarhus International Competition in Denmark and First Prize at the Tbilisi Chopin National Piano Competition in Georgia.
He has also received awards at the Nutcracker International TV Competition in Russia, Astana Piano Passion in Kazakhstan and the Arthur Rubinstein International Competition for Young Pianists in China.
Khrikuli was also a finalist at the 2025 Chopin International Piano Competition.
He began studying piano at the Zakaria Paliashvili Central Music School for Gifted Children in Tbilisi under Revaz Tavadze before continuing his musical training at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid.
During his studies, he received scholarships from the Jaime Castellanos and Albéniz Foundations and held the Banco Santander Foundation Piano Chair. In 2022, he received the Diploma for the Most Outstanding Student of his chair from Her Majesty Queen Sofía.
Khrikuli has performed as a soloist with the Georgian Philharmonic, Israel Camerata and Philharmonic, and the Moscow Philharmonic. He has also given solo and chamber performances across Europe.
After recently touring Poland with performances in Toru?, Kraków and Pozna?, he is set to continue his international appearances with engagements in Mallorca, Madrid and Berlin.
Three major works will take centre stage
The evening will begin with Franz von Suppé’s Overture to Light Cavalry, also known as Leichte Kavallerie.
Known for its lively fanfares and galloping rhythms, the overture will set an energetic tone for the concert.
The spotlight will then turn to Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, with David Khrikuli taking centre stage alongside the UAE National Orchestra.
The concerto is one of Rachmaninoff’s best-known works and is recognised for its lyrical melodies, emotional depth and demanding piano passages.
Following the interval, the concert will conclude with Antonín Dvo?ák’s Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88.
The symphony is known for its melodic richness, folk-inspired character, and joyful orchestral writing. Together, the three works will take audiences through an energetic overture, romantic piano music, and a large-scale symphonic performance.
How the orchestra is shaping a distinctive UAE identity
While this concert focuses on major works from the European classical repertoire, the UAE National Orchestra’s wider mission goes beyond traditional Western music.
The ensemble was established to create a national orchestra rooted in Emirati musical heritage while reflecting the cultural diversity of the UAE.
Its approach brings Arabic and Western musical traditions together while remaining open to musical influences from around the world.
The orchestra’s work across the seven emirates also reflects its ambition to connect with communities throughout the UAE rather than remain focused on a single city.
Alongside its performances, the orchestra’s training and mentorship programmes are designed to support young musicians and contribute to the long-term development of the UAE’s artistic ecosystem.
This gives the UAE National Orchestra a wider role within the country’s cultural scene. It is not only a performing ensemble but also part of the UAE’s efforts to support talent development and build lasting cultural institutions.
The Significance of the UAE National Orchestra
For UAE residents, the concert offers the chance to see the country’s national orchestra take centre stage at one of Abu Dhabi’s biggest entertainment venues.
The event also brings internationally recognised artists to the UAE while showcasing a homegrown cultural institution created to represent the country’s heritage and multicultural identity.
Emerging musicians can also benefit from the orchestra’s wider focus on training, mentorship and international partnerships.
For Abu Dhabi’s cultural scene, the concert puts the spotlight on a young national institution that is working to create opportunities for musicians and connect audiences with different musical traditions.
As the orchestra performs across the seven emirates, its long-term goal is to make orchestral music more accessible while building a distinctive UAE sound for future generations.
For more: www.abudhabifestival.ae
FAQs
When is the UAE National Orchestra concert?
The UAE National Orchestra will perform on Saturday, 10 October 2026, from 8 PM to 9:30 PM. Doors will open at 7 PM.
Where will the UAE National Orchestra perform?
The concert will take place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Who will conduct the UAE National Orchestra?
Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer will lead the performance. He is the recipient of the 2024 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award.
Who is David Khrikuli?
David Khrikuli is a Georgian pianist born in 2001. He has won several international piano competitions and will perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the UAE National Orchestra.
What music will be performed?
The programme includes Franz von Suppé’s Overture to Light Cavalry, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, and Dvo?ák’s Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88.
The UAE National Orchestra’s Arab World premiere at Abu Dhabi Festival 2026 will mark an important moment for the young national ensemble.
With François López-Ferrer leading the orchestra and David Khrikuli performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, the concert will bring together internationally recognised talent and some of classical music’s most celebrated works.
More importantly, it will put the spotlight on an orchestra created to represent the UAE’s musical heritage, cultural diversity and growing ambitions in the global arts scene.
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