History
The Centre for Musical Arts opened its doors in September 2006 with just 6 teachers and 2 administrative staff. Word spread of the exceptional quality of music lessons on offer and within a month, all the lessons were running at full capacity on a daily basis. By December 2006, the waiting list had swelled to close to 150.
By staying true to its mission of providing high quality and affordable musicianship to the young and the young at heart, The Centre for Musical Arts continued to grow and attract the finest musicians who were keen on imparting their skills to the community.
What followed was a series of impressive achievements that firmly cemented CMA as one of the premier music schools in Dubai. Here are the milestones of CMA:
- September 2006 our doors open with 6 teachers and 2 admin staff
- Our first students concert at DUCTAC Dec 2006
- March 2007 our teachers hold their first concert
- January 2007 we are approved as accredited ABRSM Examining Centre
- April 2007 ABRSM exams held for first time
- September 2007 - 8 more teachers arrive and we are awarded the music Services Contract for four of Dubai's leading schools
- September 2009 - our student numbers have now reached 1200
- 2008 Award: CMA is awarded the Certificate of Appreciation from Al Tomooh Branch of Emirate NBD recognising CMA as a 'Superior Artistic Project
- 2008/2009 CMA wins Pan Arab Web Awards and the UAE Web Award
- 2008 & 2009 - our talented students and some members of staff go to Bahrain to take part in the Young Muscicians of the Gulf Contest
- September 2009 - 2 secondary schools added to our music service provision - we now cover 6 leading Dubai schools
- 2010 CMA Saturday Sessions is launched
- 2010 Tala Badri wins 'Best Emirati Entrepreneur Award and Best Female Entrepreneur Award' for the SME Awards 2010
- 2010 CMA wins 'Business Opportunity Grants Award sponsored by British Airways in 2010
- 2010 Tala Badri speaks at the TED X 2010
- 2010 Tala Badri speaks and Heels and Deals networking event
- 2010 Three of CMA's talented students take part in the prestigious Chopin International Piano Competition held in UAE. Two of our students make it to the final which is held in Kuwait
- 2011 Tala Badri is awarded the Friends of the Arts award by Dubai Culture and Government of Dubai at the Patron of the Arts Awards
- 2011 Tala Badri is awarded a Certificate of Inspiration by Kraft Philadelphia Company
- 2011 Tala Badri is awarded a Certificate of Appreciation Award by Women for Sustainable Growth committee at a conference in Sweden where she also performed at the UAE Embassy in Stockholm and had an audience with Crown Pricess Victoria of Sweden.
- 2013 CMA were winners of the Gulf Capital SME Awards MEED for Emirati Business of the Year.
- 2014 CMA opens its new expansion site that includes a performance hall, recital room, rehearsal space, cafe, book shop and teaching studios.
- 2104 CMA launches The CMA Experience
- 2014 CMA recieved the Award for Outstanding Services from the Maria Christina Foundation
- 2014 CMA were finalists in 3 categories for the Gulf Capital SME Awards MEED - Emirati Business of the Year, DHL People and Culture of the Year and Sustainable Business of the Year.
- 2015 CMA is registered in the SME100 - one of the top 100 SME businesses in Dubai by Dubai SME.
- 2016 CMA celebrated its 10th Anniversary
- 2017 CMA students perform for HRH King Charles and HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the opening of UKinUAE.
- 2017 CMA Students perform with members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Proms at Dubai Opera
- 2018 CMA is recognised in the SME 100 - one of the top 100 SME businesses in Dubai by Dubai SME, Department of Economy and Tourism.
- 2019 CMA students performed with members of the Welsh National Opera at Dubai Opera.
- 2019 CMA managed and ran the music sessions for Masterpieces, an arts initiative for the UAE Misnistry of Education.
- 2020 FOllowing lockdown, CMA were the only music centre to offer coplete online services for all its instrumental lessons both for private and school based students.
- 2021 CMA celebrated its 15th Anniversary
- 2021 The CMA Senior Wind Ensemble performed at the press launch for Expo2020 in the presence of HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.
- 2022 CMA students were comissioned by Expo2020 to compose a soundtrack for Hammour House which today can be heard as part of the legacy project within the Mobility Pavillion at Expo City
- 2022 CMA students performed for Earth Hour at Expo2020
- 2022 CMA moved premesis after 14 years to their new home at Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children.
- 2023 CMA Senior Wind Ensemble is invited to perform at Disney World in Florida, making them the first youth music group from the Middle East to ever perform there.
