The sound of music

BEHIND the austere walls of the Manama Police Fort lies a haven of creativity.

Jazz, chamber music and wind symphonies drift out of the three-storey converted barracks to the surrounding maximum security garrisons.
Deep within the white-washed fort is Bahrain’s Police Band HQ, a space where military discipline is immersed in music.
Upstairs the sound of flutes, oboes, clarinets, saxophones and bassoons can be heard; while downstairs in the numerous practice rooms and studio officers dressed in smart green uniforms practice string, wind and percussion instruments.
Concertos and jazz riffs come to an abrupt halt and officers jump to attention, hands raised in salute when their director, Colonel Mubarak Najem appears.
With a mild-mannered wave he gestures for them to continue playing.
And the officers’ respect for their director is well-founded.
Colonel Najem is one of the foremost musicians in the country, responsible for turning the 185-strong Police Band into the pride of the kingdom’s police force. 
Today, the Police Band serenades the country performing for everyone from the King and dignitaries to schoolchildren. Characterised by their unusual bagpipe section, the Police Band are some of the kingdom’s most recognised musicians.
Since becoming director almost 10 years ago, Colonel Najem has expanded the band beyond its wind tradition and has created a symphonic orchestra, a bagpipe group, a jazz band and an Arabic band.
“We have worked so hard to get this far,” says Colonel Najem, “and we plan to have at least 300 people in the band within the next five years. My dream is for this band to be the best in the Middle East and for our musicians to be the best.”
He says his goal is to establish a military school of music for the Arabic world.
He also wants to expand his chamber orchestra into the Bahrain Police Symphonic Orchestra.
The Police Band is well-placed to achieve Colonel Najem’s ambitions.
Founded in 1929, it is the oldest police band in the region. The walls of the headquarters are lined with black and white photographs spanning decades.
Colonel Najem is the fifth police bandmaster … and a born musician.
“I have always loved music,” he explains.“I was one of six brothers and I was the only one in my family who was crazy about music. I was always singing and annoying them and playing instruments I had made, so my eldest brother found me a music teacher and I started to compose my own songs.”
At the age of 13 he was writing scores that were recorded  in Cairo and Kuwait studios and played on Bahrain’s radio stations. While still at school he composed music for the theatre and at 18 he was accepted into the Cairo Conservatoire where he was to remain for eight years.
During that time he wrote popular songs that became hits throughout the Gulf, as well as patriotic songs for school children. He also wrote the scores for the hit TV show Al Beit Al O’wd (The Big House).
At 26, he joined the Police Band as assistant director and 14 years later became director. He further developed his abilities by studying at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Marines School of Music in the UK where he was credited as an “outstanding” performer.
He was the first Foreign and Commonwealth student to receive the highest qualification offered by the Licentiate Royal Academy of Music. He is also an associate at the Royal College of Music and is now embarking on a PhD in music.
Under his direction the police band has gone from strength to strength.
They have played in Albert Hall in London and at the Birmingham Tattoo in the UK. Whenever foreign dignitaries visit the kingdom the band will learn their respective national anthems and perform it on their arrival at the airport.
They now hold conducting workshops for bands from around the GCC. But Colonel Najem is constantly trying to improve his officers’ skills.
Last week he flew in two Scottish musicians to Bahrain to hold bagpipe and drumming workshops with his officers.
Tommy Johnston, a drumming teacher from Scotland said: “They are a truly an up and coming band. They are youthful guys who will forge a great future for the band.”
And youth is key to Colonel Najem.
“We are searching for talented boys to join,” he explains. “We take the band to schools and perform during breaks so that the kids can see what we do. It helps us to become closer to the community and enhance the national spirit. When our trainees come most don’t even know the name of the instruments. They start from scratch, and after two years of training they specialise with an instrument.”
Colonel Najem truly believes that music can make a difference.
In 2000, he founded the Bahrain Music Institute, where everyone regardless of age or nationality can learn to play instruments. “Setting up the BMI was a dream-come-true for me,” he says, “through music we can live a better life, have better communication and build better relationships.”
As the Police Band’s chamber orchestra performs a piece of music composed specially for them by Colonel Najem, it is clear that the passion behind Bahrain’s Police Band is placing them on course for truly remarkable heights.
The Police Band is planning a series of public concerts over the next year and are also recording five CDs.  

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By -RdS-
editor@gulfweekly.com