A decade of harmonious artistry comes to life as CineMoon Ensemble takes centre stage

CineMoon Ensemble, a unit of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO), was founded in 2013 with the goal of promoting film music scores and educational initiatives. It has developed into an exceptional chamber orchestra throughout the years, with each performance a singular masterpiece. The CineMoon Ensemble pays homage to the creators of cinematic soundtracks this year as part of their 10th anniversary celebration. Merve Kenet Bulun calls the Ensemble a "desert rose," a unique element in Qatar's musical environment.

The performance takes place in the Qatar National Library. The concert will begin with a 1908 French silent picture called "The Assassination of Duke of Guise," set to Camille Saint-Saens' music. Despite being relatively unknown, this ground-breaking soundtrack, which can be traced to the classical musician Saint-Sans, represents the beginning of film music. It's evidence of how classical music helped create the modern cinematic soundtracks, according to Bulun.

After this emotional homage to the past, the Ensemble will then shift its focus to childhood reminiscence with a showing of the adored animated team, Tom and Jerry. As they are treated to historic film snippets from the golden era of cinema, which include the renowned Charlie Chaplin, attendees may look forward to surprises and joy. The evening's musical programme includes timeless classics including Brahms' "Hungarian Dances," Strauss' "Fledermaus Overture," and "Polkas." Along with Chaplin's moving song "Smile," which Ajlan Akyüz expertly orchestrated, the stage will also feature light classical compositions by American composer Leroy Anderson.

Bulun further mentioned that CineMoon Ensemble had created an unforgettable experience for the spectators. The narration will be performed by Ahmad Helou, who will serenade the audience with Charlie Chaplin's well-known "Smile." Even a karaoke session with the orchestra will be offered as a guest experience by the Ensemble. Matteo Gaspari, a skilled double bass player from QPO, adds to the unique mix. "Nonsense" song to display his singing talent.

The event, produced in association with Solid Design, will include visual snippets from vintage cartoons and Chaplin's funniest flicks. "Oldies Goldies," the name of the performance, promises a distinctive fusion of humour, movies, and music. Giovanni Pasini is the conductor, and the exceptional players on stage with him include Yoshiko Koyama on bassoon, Jihoon Shin on flute, German Blanco on oboe, Simone Zanacchi on clarinet, and Lorena Manescu, who is also the co-founder and concertmaster.  Sonja Park on piano and Alexander Kamenov on timpani and percussion are also present. Additionally, the following individuals are part of the QPO string section: Tobias Gette, Raluca Gette, Laurentiu Grigorescu, Fulvio Furlanut, Julia Korodi, Anne C. Ehrlich, nes Wein, slam Abdelaziz, Kiril Bogatyrev, Harald Georgi, and Gennady Krutikov.