School buses to global stages: 30-year story of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation
During a tour of her Abu Dhabi home, Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo stops in a majlis dating back about 200 years, its walls lined with intricately carved wooden panels. The room once formed part of the home of a Christian family in the Levant and had been passed down through generations. Kanoo knew the family for years and understood why they never wanted to part with it. When recent conflict put the house…
Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo's Abu Dhabi home is a treasure trove of history, with a majlis room dating back nearly 200 years. The intricate wooden panels once belonged to a Christian family who entrusted the room to Kanoo when conflict threatened its preservation. She believes that regardless of background, everyone shares the responsibility of safeguarding their heritage and passing it down.
Growing up in Beirut, Kanoo was immersed in music, art, culture and literature, which she hopes to replicate in Abu Dhabi. Her vision was to create a sense of culture integrated into everyday life, accessible to artists, families and young people. This led to the establishment of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (Admaf) 30 years ago, which celebrates its anniversary this year.
Initially operating from a small desk at the Abu Dhabi offices of the Kanoo Group, Admaf aimed to widen access to culture, particularly for young people. By organizing school buses, Kanoo brought students to Cultural Foundation for concerts, operas and ballets. One memorable moment was watching young people enthralled by The Nutcracker at Cultural Foundation.
Initially funded by Kanoo and her husband, who is a businessman and gallerist, the programmes expanded to schools across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Liwa. Admaf paired performances with workshops and masterclasses, allowing artists to share their knowledge with students about music and its origins. The festival, launched in 2004, grew in scope and attracted major international artists, including Placido Domingo, Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Al Jarreau and Natalie Cole.
One of Admaf's early international co-commissions was in 2009, when the festival joined with Manchester International Festival and Holland Festival to commission a portable concert pavilion designed by Zaha Hadid. Over the years, Admaf and Abu Dhabi Festival have commissioned major international stage productions, creating opportunities for Emirati talent through placements, workshops and performances abroad.
This exchange not only benefits artists but also leaves a lasting legacy for future generations to understand the process and significance of such productions.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
