Ismaili Centre hosts all-female quartet

Dubai's Ismaili Centre, in collaboration with the consulate-general of the United States in Dubai, recently hosted an event conducted by Najmaat, the first female Arab quartet in the UAE.
The all-female group was founded in 2011 by Sherine Tohamy, a professor of Oud from Egypt. Its members come from diverse backgrounds: an American on the violin, a Russian on the harp and flute and a Moroccan on percussions. The performance was designed to be a journey through 11 compositions that included a fusion of Arabic and Western classics.
"Having Najmaat with its unique initiative and diverse artists performing on this platform manifests the notion of pluralism for which this centre is here," said Amiruddin Thanawalla, President of the Ismaili Community in the UAE.
The Ismaili Centre serves as a platform for The Aga Khan Music Initiative (AKMI), an endeavour of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), to offer audiences a panoramic perspective on the richness and diversity of the artistic traditions from the countries and regions where AKMI has the privilege to work.
The music initiative's mission of assuring the transmission of musical traditions is integrally connected to the broader cultural revitalisation and educational mission of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), and through the trust, to be the social and economic development mission of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
"It is no coincidence that we chose to partner with the Ismaili Centre, which places a strong emphasis on education and philanthropy through its work and that of the Aga Khan Development Network," said American Consul General Paul Malik.
In 2010, the Ismaili Centre was recognised by the Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patron of the Arts Award in 2010 for its contribution to the development of Dubai's cultural sector.
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