with Caesar Fernandes, founder of Kuwait-Music.com
Contemporary music in Kuwait has long had an ‘underground’ feel to it. Only recently has this begun to change, and it’s easy to see the transformation of the scene by witnessing the increasing quality and number of events taking place throughout the year. At the heart of this development sits KuwaitMusic.com. Here we meet KM’s supremo Caesar Fernandes and get his insider’s view of where Kuwait’s musical strengths lie, and what challenges lay ahead.
Q: Just a few short years ago even the idea of a vibrant contemporary music scene in Kuwait was unthinkable. What changed within Kuwait?
Watching the music scene in Kuwait transform over the last two years has been a gratifying experience for me. Around five years ago, it was
When one thinks of Qatar, writes Selim Savsar, the first image that comes to mind is of vast oil and natural gas reserves, both playing a large role in Qatar’s swift economic growth. Futuristic skyscrapers with glass surfaces gleaming in the hot desert sun, construction workers toiling away on cranes and girders, and locals in traditional robes may follow in succession.
Kuwait has a rich cultural heritage, yet it is one which is too often easily overlooked by those within the nation. Equally overlooked is Kuwait’s constant willingness to explore, interpret and revel in the acceptance of other cultures. There are those who refuse to overlook such cultural
Zahed Sultan, a pioneer in social entrepreneurship and music production in Kuwait, sits with Men’s Passion to describe his goals, passions, and successes in the industry. Having always had a zeal for music, Zahed’s biggest push was when his work was featured on the number 1 show in America, C.S.I, during 2004.
Anyone who may come to sit with the Polish Maestro, Valentina Maria Baginska, whose experience dates back 30 years, will recognize that they are in the presence of an artist. Furthermore, you will discover that her stylish and creative personality can be perceived through her music.
vinyl vs. digital, with record collector
Fahad Al-Rushaid Al-Bader
For some people, evolution isn’t necessarily a progression which makes everything better. Take music. Until the early 1990s if you were buying music, you were almost certainly buying it on a vinyl disc. Since then, and to an increasing degree, as music buyers we’ve been pushed further
with Violeta Choneva, Tamara Granat, and Luigi & Agnes Pagano
There’s a group of seriously undervalued entertainers in this city. To many people they remain curiously nameless, despite that fact that we see and hear them on a regular basis. They are the Kuwait’s restaurant and hotel musicians. Keen that they would be nameless no more, we met a few of our favourites to find out a little more.
The English Tea Lounge, Sheraton Hotel
There can be no finer accompaniment to time spent at The English Tea Lounge than the beautiful music from Violeta Choneva’s harp. A delightfully engaging lady, Violeta has been playing at The English Tea Lounge for more than two years now. She is a classically trained musician, and has previously toured Europe extensively as part of an orchestra. Moving from an orchestra to become a hotel’s resident musician was a straightforward choice.
He’s been described as a man with a fondness for visiting the countries of the ‘Axis of Evil’ - and with good reason. As Peace Ambassador with Café Diplo, a humanitarian organisation dedicated to spreading the message of peace through the arts, Jason works closely with Café Diplo in planning peace tours around the world.
