Saturday night marked the opening of the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra’s Second Annual Songs of Hope concert, part of the orchestra’s Great Works concert series.

According to it's organizers, the project is designed to foster dialogue between people through musical exchange.

Songs of Hope began in 2008 and has evolved into a partnership in musical exchange led by Sacramento Philharmonic director Michael Morgan and Egyptian maestro Nader Abbassi.

Abbassi directs the Orchestra For Peace, which features Israeli and Arab musicians, and promotes dialogue and engagement.

Morgan warmly welcomed Abbassi and concert goers Saturday, chronicling the evolution of Songs of Hope and extending a hopeful message:

“Everyone should be doing what they can to promote peace in this world … Music does help bring people together. If everyone works at it, we can turn this thing around.”

Senator Darrell Steinberg introduced the guest performers and shared a similar sentiment:

“We’re building bridges in symphonies to bridges in people. And there’s no better place to hold this event than in Sacramento, the most integrated and diverse community in the United States.”

“Music can’t make up for all of the sadness of the world,” he continued, “but it can act as a powerful symbol of how the world can be.”

The program included Wolfgang Mozart’s "Piano Concerto in D Minor," Iranian composer Reza Vali’s "Toward That Endless Plain," Abbassi’s "Nile Bride" and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Arabian Nights-inspired "Scheherazade."

Renowned Israeli pianist Shai Wosner played the concerto expressively, and received a standing ovation.

Each movement played by the Sacramento Philharmonic achieved a distinct and singular effect, evoking experiences as disparate as the courts of Versailles and the time of Pharaohs.

Vali’s composition was inspired by a poem written by 20th century Persian mystic poet Sohrab Sepehri, which Vali read aloud.

Khosrow Soltani, a master of wind instruments, led the concerto with the Persian ney, a wood flute played with such a mournful effect that it seemed at times to stand alone. Juxtaposed with aggressive percussion evoking chaos and mania, the ney provided relief and tranquility.

Abbassi’s "Nile Bride" evoked the time of the Pharaohs. It tells the story of a young virgin who sacrificed herself to save the city of Thebes by marrying the Nile. A plaintive oboe melody, representing the young girl, was gradually consumed by building rhythms echoing the power of the Nile. Abbassi was captivating to watch, his whole body seemingly holding the tension of the composition, released only by the final note.

The final piece, "Scheherazade," was stunning. Its colorful recall of the Arabian Nights kept the audience's interest and ended with a standing ovation.

The Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra’s program continues next month with the series “Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.”