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TENOR WANTS TO SET PITCH FOR CITY

a renowned Albanian musician has pointed out.

City Times caught up with the Australia-based Agim Hushi, currently in Dubai on a personal visit, who voiced his grand dream of helping the UAE find its cultural identity, and become culturally on par with countries in Europe, which are considered the yardstick for cultural development.

"The UAE, has everything going for it — a conflict-free polity, leaders that have a visionary attitude and thinking, economic resources at its disposal, and a young population. What it desperately requires is the same thing that any young society that has marched rapidly into this phase of development needs — a society and greater community that appreciates classical music and fine arts, a knowledge of Vivaldi, Verdi, Beethoven and Brahms, Mozart and Schubert - which are intrinsic for any member of a civilised society," Agim Hushi quotes with lyrical conviction.

He pointed out that the reason he had come to the UAE all the way from Australia was to help this "Visionary City" put together a Philharmonic Orchestra and create a world-class cultural centre, which he believed would get the world to sit up and take notice that Dubai, a region that has already caught the public imagination, has finally arrived.

"An appreciation of the classics and Old Masters is not in any way related to religion, I myself am an Albanian Muslim married to a Catholic and settled in Australia, yet my deep love for all these renowned composers has I believe, made me a better person, with a much greater cultural understanding of my fellow human beings. Dubai, being such a melting pot of different cultures, it is almost imperative that every resident should possess such an understanding, I want to be part of this waking-up period, and work with UAE artists and musicians to show that we are all connected, no matter when and where we may be born, as Christian, Muslim or belonging to any other religion, there's that essence of humanity that we must all discover from within, and listening to such fine compositions only accelerates that journey," he said.

The 40-year-old tenor, who is a post-graduate of the Franz Lizst Academy of Music in Budapest, has performed at the Albanian National Opera and also widely throughout Europe. In 2000, the Premier of South Australia honoured him with the Premier's Award for Emerging Artist of the Year for 2000. He was also the winner of the year for the Jane Potter's Foundation. More recently in 2003, he was highly acclaimed for his lead role in the opera "Tosca", which was the first time in history that the multicultural Malaysian audiences witnessed a production by the National Malaysian Opera, featuring multicultural artistes. Hushi was full of praise for the former Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahatir Mohammed, who he said, had helped his countrymen achieve such a stage of cultural refinement.

"I am not a person in need, I have a busy schedule and am presently recording with Australia's ABC Network, the only reason I am here to get involved in such a process is because I believe Dubai deserves so much — you have no idea what it is to live in a country where there are no security concerns, where each person can go about his business, without worrying whether he will get home in one piece in the evening, where ethnic conflict and violence does not rear its ugly head just when you want to set the pace for development," he declared, recounting the ravages of war on his native Albania.

"A nation needs a choir. With such a body Dubai can communicate in many tongues. It can send out a message to the world," Agim Hushi said feelingly.

He hoped that such a body would help the city and the UAE at large stage international concerts by operatic musicians of no less a standing than Placido Domingo, and help see the fulfillment of an Arab World dream.

The fiery tenor also had a word of criticism for the music of today's generation, calling it an extension of the Great American Propaganda that promoted their music, grunge and singers, "brainwashing people into believe that this was world music!"

"These poor youngsters listen to the noisy cacophony that they believe to be music, and develop no tastes, no culture, and no refinement, becoming modern day monsters that can't carry the burden of society on their shoulders, definitely unable to contribute an iota to development," he said.

So, why does the world continue to advocate modern-day mindless noise rather than the spiritual music of Verdi, Puccini and Mozart? "What I am telling you about is bad business sense, there's the pop syndrome, fostered by the US, which has foisted its culture on the world...such music can only lead to destructive tendencies, and does not soothe the soul, as only the classics can," he reiterated.

Agim Hushi, who hopes to meet with several of the UAE's decision makers in the cultural field, to urge them to allow him to help make his dream come true of establishing such an Orchestra and classical culture here.

To get in touch with Agim Hushi call 5529569