The evening of 11 July saw the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) host a magnificent concert by al-Nour wal-Amal Orchestra [literally, Light and Hope Orchestra], an orchestra and singing group formed of exclusively blind or visually impaired women and girls. The concert was sponsored by the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) among the celebratory events it hosts this year to mark its 125th anniversary.
The orchestra gave an exquisite performance of Egyptian, oriental, and western classical musical pieces, using string, brass and wooden instruments. Their full voice singing was, as always, superb, it enchanted the audience who eagerly interacted with some of the pieces they played and sang, including Egyptian classics by Sayed Darwish (1892 – 1923) and Daoud Hosni (1870 – 1937); the two are considered pioneers of the musical scene during Egypt’s Age of Enlightenment, Darwish was especially singular for drawing on Egyptian folk music rather than the then prevalent Ottoman music. A plethora of public figures, including former ministers and members of the diplomatic corps in Egypt attended the concert, as well as representatives from NGOs and a great number of music fans.
The Nour wal-Amal Music Institute was established in 1971 by Istiklal Radi, founder of al-Nour wal-Amal Association in 1954, which cares for and educated blind girls. Ms Radi teamed up with Samha al-Kholy, former President of the Egyptian Academy of Arts, and former Dean of the Cairo Conservatory of Music to develop the musical talents and abilities of bling girls and women, providing them with a creative way to express their emotions. Girls who attend the Music Institute learn to sing and play musical instrument; they receive a double education by attending the formal national education programme in the Association’s school in the morning, and the Music Institute programme in the afternoon.
The Nour wal-Amal Orchestra is composed of includes girls and women aged 15 to 55. It features string, woodwind, brass and percussion players. It is the only chamber orchestra in the whole world entirely composed of blind musicians who play western classical music as well as oriental music. They have been enthralling audiences inside and outside Egypt with their outstanding performances.
NMEC has been hosting concerts and cultural activities that are usually widely attended and appreciated. According to Ahmed Ghoneim, NMEC Managing Executive Director, cultural activities hosted by the museum contribute significantly to enhancing NMEC’s role as a cultural and communal hub that supports art and culture. In his speech, Dr Ghoneim pointed out that NMEC makes it a point to offer its support to people with special needs and determination, and it affirms that its doors are open to the entire community without discrimination.
NMEC is situated in Fustat, Cairo; it opened its doors to visitors partially in 2017, but was officially opened by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on 3 April 2021 with the moving of 22 mummies, including 18 kings and four queens, from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, in an event termed the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade.
The museum focuses on Egyptian civilisation in a holistic perspective that covers all eras in Egypt’s history, offering visitors a general overview of all the various historical periods that encompass Egypt’s past. It exhibits objects and artefacts intended to educate the visitor about Egypt’s history and culture, starting with the Predynastic and Ancient Egyptian periods, and continuing through the Greco-Roman, Coptic, Islamic and modern contemporary times. In line with NMEC raison d’être, it also offers various programmes and activities that aim at raising awareness of Egyptian art and cultural heritage through a plethora of events.
Watani International
13 July 2023