UAE National Orchestra at Abu Dhabi Festival 2026

UAE National Orchestra (UAENO)

Founded in 2025 and based in Abu Dhabi, the UAE National Orchestra is a 100-member ensemble performing across the seven emirates A groundbreaking cultural initiative, it was established to create a national orchestra rooted in Emirati musical heritage, connected across the UAE’s diverse community and open to exploring connections with musical traditions from around the world.

Under the visionary leadership of Chairperson Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the orchestra honours the UAE's musical heritage while embracing modern multiculturalism. Bringing together 70 full-time musicians and 30 part-time choir members, it is developing a distinctive style and sound that reflects the cultural diversity of the modern UAE through a fusion of Arabic and Western musical traditions.

Through dedicated capacity-building programmes and international partnerships, the orchestra provides training, support and mentorship for emerging musicians, enhancing the local musical ecosystem and fostering future generations of artists. In doing so, it enriches the nation’s artistic landscape and reflects the UAE's commitment to cultural excellence on the global stagey.

François López-Ferrer

(Conductor)

Spanish-American conductor François López-Ferrer has earned international recognition for his versatility across opera, symphonic repertoire and contemporary music. Recipient of the 2024 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, he has collaborated with leading orchestras, opera houses and festivals across Europe, the United States and Asia. 

Born in Switzerland, raised in the United States, and of Cuban and Spanish heritage, 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.

He has guest conducted ensembles worldwide including 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 regularly collaborates with the Orquesta Nacional de España, Orquesta Sinfónica de RTVE, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia and Bilbao Sinfonikoa. An advocate for contemporary music, he led the US premiere of Pedro Osuna’s Lux Aeterna and Mark Simpson’s Violin Concerto.

López-Ferrer has collaborated with soloists including Nicola Benedetti, Pekka Kuusisto, Boris Giltburg, Pablo Sáinz-Villegas, Pepe Romero, Clara-Jumi Kang, Roman Simovic, Karen Gomyo, Paul Huang, Geneva Lewis and Zee Zee. His conducting has been praised by Bachtrack for its "richly expressive sound, always rendered with clarity and precision", while Beckmesser described him as "elegant and authoritative".

He previously served as 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 winner of the inaugural 2015 Neeme Järvi Prize at the Menuhin Gstaad Festival.

David Khrikuli

(Piano)

Born in Georgia in 2001, pianist David Khrikuli is rapidly emerging as one of the most compelling voices of his generation. His performances have drawn attention for their individuality, expressive intensity and rich dynamic range.

A laureate of numerous international competitions, Khrikuli won First Prize at the 2024 Cantù International Piano and Orchestra Competition in Italy and First and Audience Prizes at the Vigo International Piano Competition in Spain. He was also a finalist at the 2025 Chopin International Piano Competition, where his performances earned acclaim from audiences and jury alike. Earlier distinctions include First Prize and Special Prize at the Aarhus International Competition in Denmark, First Prize at the Tbilisi Chopin National Piano Competition in Georgia and 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.

He began his piano studies at the Zakaria Paliashvili Central Music School for Gifted Children in Tbilisi under Revaz Tavadze before continuing his training at the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid. He received scholarships from the Jaime Castellanos and Albéniz Foundations, held the Banco Santander Foundation Piano Chair, and in 2022 received the Diploma for the Most Outstanding Student of his chair from Her Majesty Queen Sofía.

Khrikuli has appeared as a soloist with the Georgian Philharmonic, Israel Camerata and Philharmonic and the Moscow Philharmonic, and has given solo and chamber performances across Europe. At the Reina Sofía School, he performed in the La Generación Ascendente and AIEnRUTa- Clásicos concert series, and with the Schumann Trio, Ravel Duo and Austrias Trio.

After recently touring Poland with performances in Toruń, Kraków and Poznań, Khrikuli will also return to Mallorca and the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid and make his debut in Berlin.

• Age limit - 10 years old and above. No free access.
• Children's below 10 years old are not allowed.
• Those under 16 must be accompanied by adults aged 21+.
• Venue doors open 1 hour before the show.
• Strictly no readmission.
• Access is available for people of determination. Accessible tickets must be purchased.
• Bags larger than 30x30x15 are not permitted. No storage or cloakroom facilities are provided.
• Strollers will not be permitted into the venue; however, stroller parks will be available. All personal items are left strictly at the owner's risk with no venue liability.
• Tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable, non-exchangeable, no readmission, and are for your personal use only
• The Arena reserves the right to cancel any tickets bought from unauthorized resellers, including through Viagogo or Dubizzle
• Access is available for people of determination. Accessible tickets must be purchased
• Validation of the ticket holder’s identity may be requested at the Gate. This could take the form of a valid photo ID and the credit card used for the purchase
• Customers must keep their e-tickets at all times and produced upon request by the Arena staff.
• In case of cancellation or postponement of the event, the refund of this e-ticket is subject to the terms and conditions of the event organizer
• Disorderly conduct, noncompliance with security measures, violation of any rules, policies, or regulations, or unauthorized use of this ticket may result in denial of admission or removal of the ticket holder from Etihad Arena.
• No professional cameras, audio, or video recorders are allowed within the venue
• Etihad Arena is a contactless venue, and there are no ATMs inside the arena.
• No flags of any kind, including country flags
• E-tickets will be scanned at the turnstile entry. Please make sure tickets are downloaded onto mobile devices
• Attendees are required to behave according to the country’s traditions and culture

• No re-entry: The ticket grants a one-time entry into the Etihad Arena, with no right of re-entry.
• No refund, no transfer: All ticket sales are final. Tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-exchangeable, and are for your personal use only. We can confiscate a ticket from you if you resell it or attempt to resell it at a price above face value.
• Unauthorized resellers: The Arena reserves the right to cancel any tickets bought from unauthorized resellers, including through Viagogo or Dubizzle.
• No admission: Disorderly conduct, noncompliance with security measures, violation of any rules, policies, or regulations, or unauthorized use of this ticket may result in denial of admission or removal of ticketholder from Etihad Arena and/or prosecution, as determined in the sole discretion of Etihad Arena, its representatives, affiliates, and/or agents, or law enforcement.