Held on 23 October 2025, the orchestra’s performance was the festival’s only full-orchestra music segment, featuring a mix of iconic film scores and Western classical compositions.
Conducted by their artistic manager and principal educator, Tamer Fahmy, the ensemble took the Festival Plaza stage, performing to a full house of attendees, including dozens of industry professionals.
Among the audience were Samih Sawiris, Chairman of Orascom Development Holding (ODH), the company that built and manages El Gouna, and renowned actress Yousra, a member of the festival’s International Advisory Board. Both joined the orchestra on stage after the concert.
The programme opened with the theme from Star Wars and continued through a series of cinematic and classical pieces. The audience responded enthusiastically, humming along to familiar tunes or clapping to the music.
As usual, Henry Mancini’s The Pink Panther theme put listeners in a playful and joyful mood, while compositions such as Jacques Offenbach’s Galop Infernal (popularly known as the Can-Can), and Johann Strauss’s Polka Schnell (“quick polka”) invited the audience to clap along and share in the celebratory spirit. While these works allowed listeners to savor the finest of Western musical traditions, the interesting inclusion of Arabic compositions offered international audiences a chance to connect with the rich musical culture of the region.
As Al Nour Wal Amal continues to grow, some pieces have become staples of their repertoire, while others are introduced by Maestro Tamer Fahmy to match the orchestra’s evolving skills.
In fact, Fahmy deserves much of the credit for the remarkable development of the Al Nour Wal Amal Chamber Orchestra, which in recent years has made significant strides in mastering a wide range of challenging works.
Among the ensemble’s greatest sources of pride are its youngest members, some just ten years old, whose focus and determination have earned them a place on stage alongside their more experienced peers.
No wonder that, as the concert concluded in El Gouna, the orchestra was met with a well-deserved standing ovation.
Following the performance, Samih Sawiris took the stage thanking everyone who supports the Association.
"This concert was an opportunity for everyone to discover Al Nour Wal Amal, their mission, and their importance. We all need to stand with this Association, which provides comprehensive care and guidance for the visually impaired women and girls."
Mona Zaki, President of the Music Institute at Al Nour Wal Amal Association, introduced the orchestra and explained its place within the Association, which was founded in 1954 to educate and integrate blind children and women into society.
"The Music Institute was established in 1966 with just ten young musicians. Today, in 2025, we have 120 musicians across several ensembles, including the Al Nour Wal Amal Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra, which performed for you today under the baton of Maestro Fahmy," she said, also highlighting the Association’s Children Orchestra and its youngest talents, who begin their musical journey playing handbells.
Zaki paid tribute to the late Mrs. Amal Fikry (1 December 1929 – 4 March 2024), the Music Institute’s former manager and vice-chairwoman, saying: "We cannot forget the driving force behind the Al Nour Wal Amal Orchestra. Madame Amal’s vision and compassion have shaped generations of musicians."
She noted that Fikry’s tireless devotion transformed a small ensemble of visually impaired girls into a world-renowned orchestra, performing on Egyptian stages and in more than 30 countries, across five continents.
For more than 50 years, Fikry personally promoted the orchestra, secured funding, and worked closely with donors, many of whom continue to support the Association today.
Zaki also introduced Hala Hashem, one of Fikry’s three children and the only one actively involved in the Association.
Standing on stage, Hashem proudly watched the orchestra, which continues to carry forward the spirit of her late mother and her work at the Music Institute.
Samih Sawiris then urged the audience to support the Association, emphasizing that contributions are a noble charitable act, and jokingly added that Yousra would be the first to encourage donations. The actress echoed his words, praising the orchestra’s musicians and noting that she had attended their concerts in previous years.
Al Nour Wal Amal Chamber Orchestra
The Chamber Orchestra is a remarkable ensemble of visually impaired and completely blind women musicians, led by Tamer Fahmy. The orchestra is composed of a younger generation of musicians, following in the footsteps of their senior colleagues in the Al Nour Wal Amal Symphony Orchestra.
The Symphony Orchestra has toured the world, performing in dozens of countries and earning accolades such as "a human miracle" and "the fourth Pyramid of Giza."
Thanks to the Association’s comprehensive music education program, the Chamber Orchestra now takes part in international tours as well.
The orchestra’s most recent appearances outside Egypt include a concert in Italy in January 2025, just a few months after their performance at the Royal Opera House of Musical Arts in Muscat, Oman, in October 2024.
CineGouna
Following the concert, the audiences moved to another hall, where the awards of this year's CineGouna segment were revealed.
The industry platform of the El Gouna Film Festival, CineGouna brings together filmmakers, producers, and industry professionals to explore, celebrate, and promote Arab cinema on a global stage.
Just like every year, the 2025 edition of CineGouna featured panel discussions, workshops, and networking sessions. Through its extensive network of industry partners, it also provided support for several film projects.
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