Ash - FIRST CONCERT EVER

In this First Concert Ever segment, the world dance fusion artist, Ash, talks about the story of his first experience with live music. You can check out the story below:

Omar Khairat at the Cairo Opera House (2005)
My first concert experience was in Cairo, Egypt, in 2005, at the iconic Cairo Opera House. The artist performing that night was Omar Khairat, one of Egypt’s most celebrated composers—and, though I didn’t fully realize it yet, soon to become one of my personal favorites.

I was only 9 years old at the time. My parents took us along mainly because my older brother, who was 19 and a devoted fan, wouldn’t miss it for the world. I had heard Omar Khairat’s music growing up, played in our home by my brother, but at that age, I didn’t fully appreciate it. That night, everything changed.

From the very first note, I was completely captivated. It was the first time I truly understood the power of live music and the magic of musical composition. It was more than just a concert. I fell even deeper in love with my Egyptian heritage, realizing the profound impact our music has.

Before that night, my musical world was divided: I knew Western pop, R&B, and Egyptian oldies or pop songs. When it came to classical or instrumental music, my knowledge was mostly limited to Western composers—Mozart, Chopin, Bach, Beethoven—the very pieces I was learning on the piano. But that evening, I discovered something extraordinary: the seamless blend of classical orchestration with Middle Eastern scales, the richness of oriental harmonies fused with Western musical structures. It was unlike anything I had ever heard.

Saying that this experience changed my life would be an understatement. That concert taught me the beauty of musical and cultural fusion, the power of instrumental storytelling, and the depth of live composition. It was the moment I truly became a fan—and, more importantly, the moment I realized that music could be a bridge between worlds.

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