Artie’s is not what you would call a typical classical chamber group. For a start, there is no consistent line-up or instrumental configuration to this French ensemble – in concert, you might catch between two and 10 musicians on stage.
And this loose collective – or as they prefer to call it, “famille” – of soloists prioritises moving away from the established and well-paying concert halls of Europe to perform in far-flung corners of the globe, while also advertising their services to perform in “your living room”.
Naturally, the musicians exercise a similarly daring approach to their art, overturning tired norms and ploughing the classical repertoire for fresh material, musical juxtapositions and surfaces. In short, Artie’s is the conceptual antithesis of snobby classical stereotypes.
Tomorrow, three of the group’s core members will perform at Dubai’s One&Only Royal Mirage, a commemorative concert, contrasting the tonal textures of strings, woodwind and keys, presented by Alliance Francaise Dubai as part of the World Classical Music Series.
Making their UAE debut as Artie’s Trio, the ensemble will star Olivier Patey, the principal clarinettist with Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, alongside celebrated pianist Emmanuel Christien, and the group’s founder and cellist, Gauthier Herrmann.
The concert might be timed to mark the continuing celebrations for International Francophonie Day, which was yesterday, but for the musicians it also chimes viscerally close to the date of their first concert together as Artie's, 10 years and 16 days earlier.
It could easily have been a one-off engagement. As a hotly tipped, award-winning young soloist, Herrmann was invited to host a musical festival across five cities in India. Shortly after the first concert, in Mumbai on March 6, 2008, he decided to bottle the same ethos he established with Artie’s Festival India and take it out into the world.
“The idea was, ‘OK, we will create this and we will keep some of these ideas forever’,” says Herrmann, 36.
The first principle was not just to perform simply as a trio, quartet, or any other conventional configuration, but to establish a loose, free-flowing base, fit for expansion and contraction according to the occasion and repertoire.
The second was to play in diverse, novel locations, cities starved of or unfamiliar with western classical music traditions. The third was to welcome a rolling catwalk of collaborators to the stage, deliberately including musicians of different backgrounds and sensibilities.
“I would say the first thing is, it’s quite a selfish project,” says Herrmann humbly. “We want to discover the international world. When we go to play the typical places – London, Berlin, Paris, Madrid – it’s very familiar to us and it’s always the same.
“We know the venues, they’re all the same, the people – we know they’re educated, a little bit wealthy – and we don’t want to play just to them. We always say music is universal, but when you do these kinds of concerts, you really understand why.”
Over the past decade, Artie’s Festival India has taken place twice every year. From Dubai, the musicians will travel to celebrate the 21st event with concerts in Pune and Mumbai this month, while the globetrotting, outreach concept has extended to tours of Asia and Europe. So far, Artie’s has clocked close to 500 concerts, to about 40,000 people, in locales from Bahrain to Beijing and Singapore to Switzerland.
The wanderlust will reach its apogee with a planned “Around the World in 80 Concerts” concept, which is expected to take the group to perform in 40 cities on five continents in 2020. First, they will be back in the region in April for concerts in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and a private engagement in Dubai.
“Most of us play in the main orchestras [in Europe], but we all realised after 10 years playing the big venues and cities that one of the most exciting things as a musician is to travel,” Herrmann says. “What is most fun is to go to a country where western classical music is not so familiar. Like I said, it’s a bit selfish, but hopefully everyone benefits.”
The open-door policy means as many as 20 musicians might perform as part of Artie’s over the course of an annual concert season, with players aged anywhere between 18 and 70.
Yet the group is not lacking in foundations. The trio who will perform in Dubai are musicians who have been part of Artie’s since the beginning. Born within four months of each other, Herrmann, Christien and Patey met as colleagues and contemporaries studying at the Conservatoire de Paris and have been playing together ever since.
To Dubai they will bring the familiar and the fresh, presenting Beethoven's uncharacteristically whimsical early Piano Trio (opus 11), a piece Herrmann reckons they must have played 1,000 times, alongside Brahms' Clarinet Trio in A Minor (opus 114), which the ensemble has never performed.
"It's something we wanted to play for a long time and we're really happy to share it for the first time in Dubai," Herrmann says.
“When Brahms was not 100 per cent satisfied with a piece it was destroyed, so every single note he left behind is absolutely perfect. What is very clever is the way he wrote for woodwind and strings. In my opinion, he is the one who most clearly achieved that magic fusion between the clarinet and the cello.”
That clash between the known and the novel is equally evident in Artie’s diverse discography. In 2011 the spin-off Artie’s Records was established, allowing the group’s musicians and associates to pursue projects of passion.
Alongside typical collections of Mozart chamber works are albums such as The Ear of Proust, a "four-handed" cycle by pianists Anne-Lise Gastaldi and David Saudubray evoking the salon music the writer adored so much, and Bestiaire, a programme of French songs inspired by animals, based on poems by literary greats including Hugo and Baudelaire, and sung by soprano Sabine Revault d'Allonnes alongside pianist Stephanie Humeau. It will be released on March 30.
But to Herrmann’s ears it is neither the repertoire Artie’s presents, nor how they present it, that sets its players apart. Asked what makes the group he founded special, he doesn’t miss a beat before replying.
“Energy,” Herrmann says. “All the musicians performing in Artie’s are, not to boast, part of the best orchestras and international groups in the world. But this project is a question of love.
“There are many good musicians in the world but when we perform we really take care of the audience. Whoever we’re playing for and whatever is in front of us, we always bring 1,000 per cent in terms of energy. It’s never boring. Well, that’s what I think – you can tell me otherwise on March 22 in Dubai.”
Artie’s Trio perform at One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai, Thursday, at 8pm. Tickets from Dh210 on http://platinumlist.ae
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City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Scoreline
Germany 2
Werner 9', Sane 19'
Netherlands 2
Promes 85', Van Dijk 90'
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayvn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristopher%20Flinos%2C%20Ahmed%20Ismail%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efinancial%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2044%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseries%20B%20in%20the%20second%20half%20of%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHilbert%20Capital%2C%20Red%20Acre%20Ventures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Places to go for free coffee
- Cherish Cafe Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, are giving away free coffees all day.
- La Terrace, Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, are serving their first 50 guests one coffee and four bite-sized cakes
- Wild & The Moon will be giving away a free espresso with every purchase on International Coffee Day
- Orange Wheels welcome parents are to sit, relax and enjoy goodies at ‘Café O’ along with a free coffee
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Brief scores:
QPR 0
Watford 1
Capoue 45' 1
MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence
- Steve Baker
- Peter Bone
- Ben Bradley
- Andrew Bridgen
- Maria Caulfield
- Simon Clarke
- Philip Davies
- Nadine Dorries
- James Duddridge
- Mark Francois
- Chris Green
- Adam Holloway
- Andrea Jenkyns
- Anne-Marie Morris
- Sheryll Murray
- Jacob Rees-Mogg
- Laurence Robertson
- Lee Rowley
- Henry Smith
- Martin Vickers
- John Whittingdale
The%20trailblazers
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
