Flag Island to host 2 concerts

The Flag Island in Sharjah will be hosting two concerts for Syrian-Armenian singer Lena Chamamyan and established Lebanese singer Oumeima El Khalil on the 24th and 25th of January, 2015, respectively, as part of the 2nd Sharjah World Music Festival which will commence on Friday, January 16, in participation of an elite group of musicians and bands from 12 countries.
On Saturday, January 24, at 9:00 pm, Lena Chamamyan will perform a collection of songs in which she merges the traditional styles of eastern songs with western classics. In addition, she will present new songs that reflect the influence of classic, jazz, eastern, and Armenian music on her unique singing style.
On Sunday, January 25, at 9:00, Oumeima El Khalil will perform at the closing concert of Sharjah World Music Festival and will inspire her fans with a collection of her committed songs, many of which connected with her three decade experience with Marcel Khalife, in addition to other songs written by great Arab poets such as Mahmoud Darwish, Shawqi Bazea, Mohammed Abdullah, Haydar Talal, Henry Zughaib and Nizar Attiah Al Hindi.



Commenting on her participation in the Sharjah World Music Festival, Lena Chamamyan said that she is happy to visit the emirate of Sharjah about which she has already heard a lot and learnt about its cultural and art activities which reflect the Emirate’s attention to people and appreciation of art. Lena added that the participation will give her the opportunity to meet fans who love the classic music inspired by eastern Syrian and Armenian heritage. She clarified that this type of music uses eastern jazz to express the power of music in connecting the east with the west.
Oumeima El Khalil said that her participation in Sharjah World Music Festival will be a source of optimism that the new year will bring peace and stability to the world, as Sharjah and the UAE have always been known for spreading messages of peace across the world, using various means, including music, which symbolises the human ability to give and promote the values of love and tolerance. Oumeima said that she would perform a number of her most popular songs in addition to some new songs that fans will hear for the first time.
The two concerts will be staged at the new amphitheatre at The Flag Island, which was inaugurated on the occasion of the 43rd UAE National Day on the 2nd of December. The inauguration was part of the second phase of the development, which commenced in last June, with the aim to transform The Flag Island into a tourist destination that includes a number of facilities and amenities, including a gallery and cafe. The facilities will be open to the public in the first quarter of 2015.
Tickets for Lena Chamamyan’s and Oumeima El Khalil’s concerts are available at customer service counters at Al Qasba and Al Majaz Waterfront and online at www.ticketmaster.ae
Presented by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and organised by Furat Qaddouri Music Centre, the first edition of the Sharjah World Music Festival started at Al Qasba in Sharjah in the beginning of 2014. As a result of the resounding success and increasing public attention, it was decided to expand the festival to include five venues in the emirate of Sharjah. The venues are Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Qasba, Heart of Sharjah, and The Flag Island.
Through this first of its kind festival, Shurooq endeavours to boost the cultural and art presence of Sharjah and the UAE, bring various musical cultures from around the world to the UAE community, and add a new cultural, art, and tourist product to the Emirate which is celebrating its selection as Capital of Arab Tourism 2015.