11 April - Fifth Day of MECMA
Welcoming hundreds of musicians from around the world to Dubai, The Middle East Classical Music Academy (MECMA) has kicked off its inspiring programme, allowing young musicians to immerse themselves in masterclasses, lectures, seminars, and nearly daily concerts from the 6th to the 21st of April.
Providing outstanding career-advancing opportunities along with a community of fellow musicians and highly-regarded professionals who become a lifelong network, MECMA continued on Friday, 11th April, focusing on its efforts to introduce up-and-coming artists to the world of professional classical music.
The day started off with action-packed orchestral masterclasses at 9:30 am as students and ensembles fine-tuned their skills in the dapper surroundings of the Sky Zayed Room on the 40th floor and the Emerald Room on the 5th floor by professors Yana Kasiyan, Batirdzhan Smakov, Ekaterina Zaboronok, and Birzhan Uteliev including appearances by the Kurmangazy Symphony and MECMA Symphony.
Individual masterclasses were also conducted by leading pedagogues, offering attendees lessons on advanced techniques and enlightening performance insights. Students flocked to the polished Dalia and Dania rooms on the 6th floor to immerse themselves in masterful lessons on the grand piano by Winner of the 2020 Galician of the Year award and one of the most sought-after concert pianists of his generation, Pablo Galdo (Spain); and prizewinner of many international piano competitions such as "Gina Bachauer" in Salt Lake City, "UNISA" in Pretoria, "Vianna da Motta" in Lisboa, "Scottish International" in Glasgow, "China International" in Beijing, etc, Albert Mamriev (German).
After delivering a class tailored to each student's skill level and talent, Pablo Galdo expressed his happiness about being part of MECMA, stating, ''I like it very much. I appreciate that there are concerts almost every day. The masterclasses are excellent since the students are very good and well-prepared. I'm happy to be here teaching, especially since Dubai is such an impressive city,'' he continued, ''The students have a great attitude, which is the most important thing. My advice to students is to practice hard, have discipline, and listen carefully. They should understand their craft and strive to become professionals."
A stunning daytime concert also took place, showcasing the talents of the renowned Kazakh State Symphony Orchestra, the leading musical group of the Republic of Kazakhstan and MECMA's Orchestra-in-Residence, along with renowned flautist Jasmine Choi under the baton of Mikhail Kirchhoff, principal conductor of the Kaliningrad Music Theatre, Eurasian Stars festival and Ak Ertis festival and several of MECMA's standout young stars.
Asked about their favourite aspect of MECMA in the UAE so far, one student didn’t hesitate, saying, ''Dubai has a fascinating culture, a mix of modern and traditional. People here are very kind, and I've enjoyed learning about this unique city, its lifestyle and its language. MECMA has been an exciting experience for me, and I'm so glad I joined the academy.''
Another added, ''At the academy, I really understood the true power of live music. When you sit in the audience and watch world-class musicians perform, something changes inside you. You see how they express emotions, sing, and play. You learn more than you would in any book.''
With more masterclasses and performances still to come, MECMA 2025 shows no signs of slowing down, with students looking forward to a busy day of musical immersion tomorrow.
For regular updates about MECMA and more information on its offerings, visit our official website for the latest news.
