Middle East’s First-Ever Global Composition Competition: Abu Dhabi Festival Announces Inaugural Winners of AED 130,000 Award, Advancing Abu Dhabi’s Musical Leadership

Held under the honorary founding patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Founding Honorary Patron of Abu Dhabi Festival, and under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Festival—the flagship initiative of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF)— has announced Daniele Gasparini as the first place winner of the orchestra category for his composition  En el Aire and Andrey Zubets as the first place winner of the Piano category for his composition Mirror Preludes. Both were named laureates of the inaugural Abu Dhabi International Competition for Composition (ADICC).

This landmark competition, which opened in May, is the Middle East’s first music composition competition and underscores Abu Dhabi’s growing global stature as a UNESCO designated City of Music and a beacon of musical innovation and creative excellence. Through the establishment of a platform of this significance, ADMAF supports the emirate’s vision to shape the future of contemporary music, elevate emerging talent and nurture the next generation of international composers.

Her Excellency Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF), and Founder and Artistic Director of Abu Dhabi Festival, said: “Guided by our belief in the arts and music as a universal language for dialogue, and in creativity as a space for intellectual exchange, shared knowledge and cultural connection, we launched the Abu Dhabi International Competition for Composition as the Middle East’s first-ever international composition competition. Through this initiative, we seek to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s influential presence as a global City of Music – an incubator for innovation and a destination for creative excellence – by honouring young composers and celebrating outstanding works of musical composition.”

She continued: “In its inaugural edition, with more than 165 submissions from 47 countries, the Competition, across its two categories of orchestral compositions and solo piano works, offers a platform to spotlight emerging voices in contemporary music, by supporting creative talent and fostering artistic innovation that will help shape the future of music.”

She concluded: “The Abu Dhabi International Composition Competition embodies our commitment to supporting composers and documenting their innovative works through the Abu Dhabi Festival Composers’ Platform initiative, presenting them to audiences locally and globally.”

The competition attracted more than 165 submissions from 47 countries, showcasing global interest and artistic diversity inspired by this inaugural edition. Daniele Gasparini and Andrey Zubets were selected by a distinguished jury of internationally renowned composers, including Pulitzer Prize–winning composer and President of the Jury Du Yun, innovative composer Shen Ye, composer and conductor Elmar Lampson, award-winning Kazakh composer Aigerim Seilova, globally revered composer and organist Naji Hakim, and renowned producer Robert Townson. The jury recognised the winners for exceptional technical proficiency, sophisticated compositional technique and the emotional depth of their work. The jury also commended the nuanced integration of traditional instruments, melodies and rhythms drawn from diverse musical heritages and styles. Entries were also evaluated on their potential for live performance, specifically the clarity and strength with which they could be interpreted on stage by professional musicians.

Speaking on the competition, Du Yun, composer and President of the Jury said: “The Jury has been deeply impressed by the breadth and vision of the submissions for the inaugural Abu Dhabi International Competition for Composition. We witnessed a remarkable tapestry of sound, where distinctive regional sensibilities engage in a sophisticated, global musical dialogue. This powerful convergence of cultural depth with universal scope is precisely what we had hoped to discover, and it reaffirms the vital role this new platform plays on the world stage. Selecting from such an exceptional and diverse pool of talent has been both a profound privilege and a deeply inspiring task. We look forward with great anticipation to hearing how the voices celebrated here will help shape the future of music for years to come.”

As the inaugural laureates, they receive AED 130,000, a professional recording opportunity, and a world-premiere performance with internationally acclaimed partner orchestras at the 23rd edition of the Abu Dhabi Festival in April 2026. The second-place winners, Nadim Tarabay in the Orchestra Category for his composition Sinfonietta en Spirale and Tarek Yamani in the Piano Category for Dabke in C Saba, were awarded AED 50,000, while the third-place recipients, Thomas Kornel in the Orchestra Category for Fear, Rage, Fire and Bruno Vlahek in the Piano Category for Mirage Toccata, received AED 25,000.

Both first place winning compositions will also be professionally recorded as part of the Abu Dhabi Festival Composers’ Platform initiative. Established more than a decade and a half ago, the platform supports artists and music composers from around the world in presenting their work in Abu Dhabi and on the global stage. To date, the platform has produced 36 original compositions and 80 co-commissions, creating high-quality recordings that preserve both traditional and contemporary music.

Through initiatives like ADICC, ADMAF aims to empower emerging artists, musicians and creative professionals, while continuing to broaden community engagement in the arts across the UAE and the wider region. The launch of this new platform builds on that vision, championing bold artistic expression and creating a global network of contemporary composers. It also reinforces Abu Dhabi’s commitment to cultivating a thriving cultural ecosystem, contributing to the emirate’s long-term cultural development and its growing role as a global centre for artistic exchange.

For more information on the Abu Dhabi International Competition for Composition (ADICC), please visit: https://admaf.org/activities/adicc/