Seeing through music

The Egyptian Al Nour Wal Amal (Light and Hope Association) chamber orchestra is composed entirely of female blind musicians. Rebecca Anastasi speaks to conductor Ali Osman who describes the girls and their talents as ‘a gift from God’.

The Al Nour Wal Amal orchestra, composed solely of female blind musicians, has dazzled audiences on all five continents, in over 15 countries. From Paris to Tokyo to Canada and Australia, audiences have listened, enthralled by the abilities of the 38 burqa-clad girls, led by Ali Osmon, their principal conductor.

Osmon started his career training at the conservation department at the Cairo Conservatoire. His compositions have been played in the UK and Switzerland but his most recent work has centred on teaching and leading the girls to better their musical abilities.

“The children start when they are seven years old. At the moment, there are two orchestras: a junior one, consisting of 15 girls from the ages of seven to 10, and the main orchestra. The instruments are chosen according to the girls’ physical abilities and every year, we add more people from the junior orchestra to the more senior one.”

The orchestra emerged from the Music Institute established by the Egyptian Blind Girls’ Association in 1961. As Osman points out, “many of the girls are not rich. Most of them come from poor families and join the association to be educated.”

Indeed, the aim of the organisation is to care for, educate and provide vocational training for the girls who walked through its doors.

The institute helps the girls emotionally and psychologically. “They feel they are a part of something worthy. They are doing something very difficult and are succeeding in doing so,” Osman says.

In order to learn music, the girls study the notes in Braille. However, to play in front of large international audiences, the girls need to study the musical pieces by heart.

“Initially, they study the techniques they need by heart. They also get used to the rhythms through practice. Then, during the concert all I need to do is tell them the speed of the piece and which piece we’re going to play, for example Brahms’ Symphony No 1. And without any guidance, they play.”

The girls are equally proficient in playing both western and oriental classical music. “Both are equally easy,” Osman states, “It’s about the technique. I choose the programme for each concert myself and we all practise the musical pieces in the programme every single day, always in the afternoons.”

However, the girls are not only talented musicians. They are also accomplished singers.

“The same orchestra is also a choir. Sometimes in the same concert, they sing first and then pick up their instruments to play,” Osman continues.

Crowds flock to see their expertise in playing wind, brass, string and even percussion musical instruments. “It’s a gift from God,” their conductor claims.

“They’ve found a lot of appreciation everywhere they’ve played. All over the world, in every one of their concerts, people have clapped. In Europe, in Asia, everyone can see these girls know how to play, even without the guidance of their conductor. They cannot believe it and ask how it is possible.”

Osman attributes their talents to their highly retentive memory. “They have no sight, but their memory is incredible. In most other orchestras around the world, musicians have their notes in front of them to read off and if you tell them to play without them they would refuse and say it’s impossible. But this is what these girls do.”

For more information on the Egyptian Al Nour Wal Amal chamber orchestra, and the association itself, visit www.alnourwalamal.org.

The Al Nour Wal Amal orchestra will be performing at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta on February 5 at 8 p.m. To book, e-mail bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt or call 2124 6389. Visit also www.teatrumanoel.com.mt.