RIYADH: Students from kindergarten age up to year 11 came together on stage at Beech Hall School in Riyadh for an orchestra and choir performance celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich history, thriving present, and ambitious future.
Youngsters from a variety of nationalities performed “From Desert Sands to Global Horizons” to a packed auditorium of guests and parents who cheered global hits as well as Arabic classics such as “Ya Dar.”
Saudi Music Commission CEO Paul Pacifico, who attended the performance, told Arab News that “it is wonderful to see young performers bringing Saudi musical heritage to life through such an ambitious school production.”
Referring to a recent concert series by the country’s national orchestra, he added: “We are especially delighted that the performance was inspired by the Marvels of Saudi Orchestra, reflecting the role these experiences can play in encouraging young people to connect with music and culture.”
The performance at Beech Hall School told the story of two travelers making their way through the desert. The choir opened with Sting’s 1999 hit “Desert Rose” to signify the start of the Kingdom before moving on to Algerian singer Rachid Taha’s “Ya Rayeh.”
“It’s about traveling as well, because all the expats came to Saudi to be part of this progression,” the school’s superintendent, Dana Abu-Goura, told Arab News.
Students then performed an interpretation of “A Whole New World,” featured in the Disney film “Aladdin,” to highlight the cultural changes introduced by Vision 2030 and the opening of the Kingdom’s doors to the world.
“At the end, we proudly offered ‘Ya Dar,’ and the inspiration came when we looked at the Saudi Orchestra when they played it in New York,” Abu-Goura said.
The final song reached a climax with students marching in from the back of the auditorium with flags from 49 countries representing their various nationalities.
Arabic poetry was recited between songs, while the set was inspired by the Kingdom’s cities, featuring the old rawasheen carved windows of Hijazi and Najdi architecture.
While the production took only two months to prepare, the biggest challenge proved to be the number of people the school aimed to get involved.
Ruth Gardner, the school’s head of music, told Arab News: “We had about 135 performers on stage because we wanted to make the finale really big and wanted to have all these flag wavers come on alongside the choir.
“So it was very challenging, and also because we used (students) from KG all the way up to grade 11.
“When you’re in a big school, obviously they have different lunch breaks and different teachers, so you all have to work together as a team. The teachers have done lots of extra work to help me put on a great concert,” Gardner said.
The school focuses on creating an inclusive arts culture for students.
“Once you’ve built that, then people get excited,” Gardner said, adding that making the students comfortable with performing was a priority.
“One of the things that I’ve done since I’ve arrived is making sure that the students are all singing. We’re all doing performances on a regular basis.”
With studies suggesting that enabling children in the arts can enhance academic performance, this approach parallels Vision 2030’s commitment to integrating music into the education system to enhance cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional development.
“You can see students on that stage who are struggling in academics, but they’re excelling in music, so that will help them even focus more in academia,” Abu-Goura said.
“Some of these students are challenged in their behavior and they were there on the stage, but you can see them disciplined with the music.
“So it’s not just music, it’s discipline, it’s behavior, it’s talent. it’s academic progression through music.
“It’s brought them all together. And that’s another thing that was an achievement from my perspective.”
Organizers were particularly proud of the violinists on stage, whose performance was the result of a school partnership with Riyadh-based academy Music House, which provided specialized instructors.
Some of the students also study at the Saudi Music Hub, another Vision 2030 initiative.
Beech Hall’s music program had been running across all grades since the school was established in 2022, but its first public showcase was an opportunity to platform the talent they have seen in some students after holding auditions.
“What we’re looking at (in the future) is other auditions, more talents, maybe a bigger show and participation externally, not only at the level of our school. So that’s just to kick off for more success in music,” Abu-Goura said.
The Saudi Music Commission has extended its support to schools by organizing performances for prominent composers and figures as part of an initiative to develop a love of music from the grassroots level.
“We appreciate Beech Hall School Riyadh’s commitment to music education, and the music commission is proud to support opportunities that help emerging talent discover their own voice and grow through performance,” Pacifico said.
