East Meets West: Christmas in the Holy Land marks a major milestone as the National Arab Orchestra partners with FIM for the first time to present a Christmas celebration unlike anything Detroit has experienced. This inaugural collaboration blends the artistic strengths of both organizations to create a holiday program that embraces the beauty of Christmas traditions from the Middle East and the West.

This collage-style concert brings together the NAO Takht Ensemble, the Flint Symphony Orchestra, JAWQA, the Detroit Youth Choir, the Sound of Joy Choir, and featured guest vocalists—all contributing to a sweeping musical journey that moves seamlessly between languages, cultures, and styles. Audiences will hear beloved Western carols, melodies from the Holy Land, and Arab musical traditions reimagined for the season.

The result is a Christmas celebration that feels both familiar and refreshingly new: warm, inclusive, and rooted in the shared spirit of the holiday. With surprise guest appearances and powerful collaborations, this evening invites the entire community to come together in joy, reflection, and unity.

Join us as we launch a new Detroit holiday tradition—where East and West meet, voices blend, and the music of Christmas opens a space for everyone.

For the first time, the National Arab Orchestra partners with FIM to present a Christmas concert that celebrates traditions from the Middle East and the West.
East Meets West: Christmas in the Holy Land brings together orchestras, youth choirs, Arab musicians, and special guests for a collage-style holiday performance that feels both familiar and new.

A Christmas celebration from Detroit to Bethlehem — where Middle Eastern and Western traditions share one stage.

East Meets West: Christmas in the Holy Land is the first-ever Christmas collaboration between the National Arab Orchestra and FIM—an evening designed to celebrate the beauty and diversity of the holiday season. While rooted in the cultural traditions of the Middle East, the concert embraces a full spectrum of Christmas music, weaving together beloved Western carols, orchestral favorites, and songs from the Holy Land that reflect the region where the story of Christmas began.

Featuring the NAO Takht Ensemble, the Flint Symphony Orchestra, JAWQA, the Detroit Youth Choir, the Sound of Joy Choir, and special guest vocalists, this collage-style concert brings together musicians and traditions from across Detroit’s artistic landscape. It’s a warm, inclusive Christmas celebration that honors heritage while opening the door for all audiences to connect, participate, and enjoy.

This is not an Arabic-only program—it’s a shared musical journey where East and West meet to celebrate the season in harmony.

East Meets West: Christmas in the Holy Land brings the National Arab Orchestra and FIM together for the first time to present a Christmas concert that blends the traditions of the Middle East and the West. This unique collage performance features the NAO Takht Ensemble, the Flint Symphony Orchestra, JAWQA, the Detroit Youth Choir, and the Sound of Joy Choir, along with special guest vocalists.

Audiences will experience reimagined carols, melodies from the Holy Land, and musical traditions from across cultures—all woven into a warm, inclusive celebration of the season.
A new Detroit holiday tradition begins here.

A Christmas celebration where Middle Eastern and Western traditions share one unforgettable stage.

A holiday concert featuring Christmas music from both the Middle East and the West—familiar, fresh, and for everyone.

Where Arab melodies meet Western carols in a powerful new Detroit Christmas tradition.

One night. Many traditions. A Christmas celebration like Detroit has never heard.

The Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts is located at 350 Madison Avenue in Detroit. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit musichall.org/shows-events/national-arab-orchestra.