Dana Al Fardan: Best Pearl of Qatari Music in Qatar

Dana (which means ‘the most important pearl’) Al Fardan is one of Qatar’s most significant gems. She is Qatar’s first and own female contemporary writer who established the country’s first record label called DANA Sounds. She is a writer for songs and a musical artist who draws motivation from the rich Qatari cultural legacy. She has grown up with various genres of music from all over the world along with peoples and various landscapes. Her music is a mixture of contemporary and traditional mixed with Arab impact, and the result is easy-to-listen and amazing.

Dana didn’t begin being an author. She studied International Relations at the American University of Sharjah (UAE) and also went to get another degree in gemology from London, and started working in the Alfardan Group. Business empire that includes a jewellery company, for family real estate company. Before her idea turned towards the universe of music when she was pregnant with her daughter and understood she wanted to do something on her own way.

A mind-blowing majority, she had been trying to improve her music in some structure or the other, whether it was playing on a keyboard when she was a kid. When she and her sisters were performing musicals of their own at home, or when she was writing songs for her sister since she thought most nursery rhymes were blatantly ridiculous and their messages horrific, so passion for music always existed somewhere inside her.

Dana’s lilting music and compositions

She started her journey in London in the third trimester of her pregnancy to London with her manager ‘Will Gresford’ and producer ‘Tim Baxter’ and recorded her first album. She delivered her little girl Layla within this time period and proceeded with the album for fourteen days after the delivery to complete it. That’s the way by which she is dedicated!

Sandstorm

Her fourth album Sandstorm, was recorded by a string ensemble containing QPO members at Doha’s Katara Studios. A world-class recording facility and performed with the London Metropolitan Orchestra at The Theater Royal Haymarket, West End, London to a sold-out audience.

Broken Wings

Broken Wings, co-written with Nadim Naaman and dependent on Khalil Gibran’s 1912 graceful novel of the same name appeared on 1 August 2018 at The Theater Royal Haymarket, West End, London and all five performances were completely booked. Dana ideas to take this musical to the worldwide stage in 2019. The musical was co-written with Nadim Naaman and it depends on Khalil Gibran’s 1912 lovely novel, Broken Wings.

Musical compositions performed at Saint Petersburg International Forum

A program of her music has recently been performed in Moscow, to mark the Qatar Russia Year of Culture 2018 and at the Saint Petersburg International Forum where her creativity was performed by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra and the Saint Petersburg Symphony Orchestra.

Cultures in Dialogue

Dana made bespoke music for Sheik Faisal’s travelling art exhibition called ‘Cultures in Dialogue’ which occurred at the UNESCO headquarters at the end of a year ago.

Raise our Flag

Dana created a song to help the Qatar national football team at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in UAE earlier this year. The song is called ‘Raise our Flag’ and is an motivational and inspirational song for the Qatar national football team to their best, which they did and brought home with a trophy for this tournament.

Desert Rose

Her creativity Desert Rose, which is the National Museum of Qatar has taken Doha by storm.

One Nation

Dana’s ‘One Nation’ (or ‘Al Yaqeen’ in Arabic) was released in light of the blockade against Qatar and delivered a short time after the blockade started in solidarity with the country and is a tribute for the country. It was created as a team with Qatar Concert Choir and TBQ Productions and remembering names for the music industry including Fahad Al Kubaisi, Essa Al Kubaisi, Fahad Al Mursel, as well as Christoph Schmitz on the cello and as music chief, Ferdninand Shaffer on percussion, Dimitri Torchinski on the violin, Juan Pestana on the keyboard and bass guitar, Mohamed Al Sulaiti on the oud, Moataz on the rababa and Yassine Ayari on the nay.

Qatar Airways

Dana is Qatar Airways official author and everytime you take a Qatar Airways flight, you’ll be entertained by her songs as the aircrafts takes her music on a journey around the world.

Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra

Dana works closely with the internationally famous (QPO), who regularly plays her music in Doha.. Visitor soloists of the ensemble recently played close to the London Metropolitan Orchestra at the iconic Theater Royal Haymarket in London, appearing a full program of Dana’s album and carrying Qatari music to a UK audience just because of the joyful response.

Qatar Primary School Choir of the Year

She participates in education activities and is the choir Ambassador of the Qatar Primary School Choir of the Year (QPSCotY). She is the writer of the opposition theme ‘Wings of the Falcon’ which is performed by 100s of children every year.

Music scores for British movies

Dana has made the score for’ The Necromancer’ and she is working on another British film with a selected global team of talented arrangers, orchestrators and producers.

Official music of 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar

Dana is also the writer of Qatar’s Lusail Stadium’s official music and will be played at the opening and closing of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Humanitarian work

Dana is an official ‘Friend for Palestine Refugee’. And she visited some United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools, an emergency hospital, and various public centres in the Palestinians Refugee camps in Amman, Jordan, and had the option to shed light into the Gaza situation. So she would encourage others to support and donate. She volunteers with the Qatar Red Crescent Society, United Nations and UNRWA to help their joint humanitarian campaign for Gaza.