Saudi composer and pianist Abeer Balubaid was named winner of the AlUla Music Competition at a ceremony held at Design Space AlUla on Wednesday. Her winning composition, "The Passage of Light" (Tariq Al-Noor), will be featured on AlUla's Musical Road, allowing visitors to experience the piece as they enter the site.
Winning Piece Inspired by AlUla's Heritage
Balubaid's composition was selected from over 150 submissions from across the Kingdom. The competition, launched by Arts AlUla, aimed to celebrate and support musical talent in Saudi Arabia while encouraging composers to draw inspiration from AlUla's unique nature, heritage, and cultural identity. Balubaid explained that the piece was originally written in 2019 after her father's passing, and she felt it was perfectly suited for AlUla. "It's about AlUla's history … so you need the experience to make people feel the energy of AlUla before they enter it," she told Arab News.
Judging Process Revealed
The judging panel, chaired by maestro Hany Farahat, included Ines Abdeldayem, Mamdouh Saif, and Hesham Nazih. Farahat described the rigorous blind selection process: 280 tracks were submitted anonymously, and each judge voted individually without consultation. Remarkably, the panel independently agreed on the top 10, then top five, then top three, and finally the winner. Farahat noted, "In the end, the winner … I didn't know she was a girl, I didn't know she was Saudi, and I didn't know she was my student from the Saudi orchestra."
Emotional Connection and Cultural Significance
Balubaid expressed her honor and humility, saying, "Knowing that visitors from around the world will experience this composition as they arrive in AlUla is both humbling and inspiring." She hopes the music creates anticipation, curiosity, and emotional connection, offering a memorable introduction to AlUla's cultural richness. Farahat praised the Saudi musical community, stating, "The musical and artistic community in Saudi Arabia is doing well, it's promising, and it has great potential."
Competition Finalists and Awards
The two finalists were Ghida Knio and Abeer Balubaid. The award was presented by Farahat, Dr. Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani (VP of Culture at the Royal Commission for AlUla), and Hamad Alhomeidan (Director of Arts & Creative Industries at the Royal Commission for AlUla).
