UAENO: Echoes of Time – Ibn Arabi

The UAE National Orchestra continues its inaugural season with a concert inspired by the words of Ibn Arabi, the Arab scholar, Sufi mystic, poet, and Muslim philosopher from 12th and 13th century al-Andalus. This is the world premiere of a symphonic poem by Nadim Tarabay, the composer who was also commissioned for the UAENO’s symphony The Beginning.

Ibn Arabi’s major teachings emphasize the concept of unity of existence (wahdat al-wujud), the idea that all beings are interconnected manifestations of the same divine reality, encouraging a deep understanding of the self and God through love and spiritual discovery; Echoes of Time seeks a musical response to these ideas, where the music becomes reflection and connection with Arabic and Western instruments plus voices “invite the audience to experience time as emotion, where silence and melody carry meaning”.