An orchestra is only complete when united with its audience. That observation has become the foundation of a brand campaign by C2 Comms for The UAE National Orchestra. When audiences share space with performers, their attention, breath, and emotions begin to synchronise. The Symphony Within captures the profound connection between musicians and their audience. It explores the moment when performance transcends the stage, dissolving borders between 100 musicians from 35 nations and their audience into a single, shared feeling of pride and belonging.

The idea is guided by the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to “preserve and develop our heritage so that it becomes a resource for this nation and future generations”. The UAE National Orchestra blends traditional Emirati heritage with orchestral grandeur and its film brings to life the invisible current that flows between stage and seats, where musicians give, the audience gives back, and pride passes like an invisible rhythm through the shared experience.

The Symphony Within shows how music stops being a private soundtrack and becomes a communal emotion that binds people together. The music was specially composed by the UAENO for the film, directed by Joe Connor through electriclime°.

“This is more than an appointment; it’s a responsibility,” stated Roy Aftimos, CEO of C2 Comms. “The UAE National Orchestra isn’t just a client, it’s a cultural institution with a mandate to carry the nation’s heritage forward. Our job is to get the communication right – to build a brand that connects with people on a human level, not just as an audience. In a world of noise, our focus is on the craft of creating something meaningful that resonates. We’re here to do the work that honours that responsibility.”

Pablo Maldonado, executive creative director of C2 Comms, explained, “From the start, we wanted to capture the musicians’ unique feeling as they played. Then we realized the audience’s experience was just as powerful. So we brought them together, amplifying what a symphony can generate: breaking barriers, connecting the music to the audience like never before, and making everyone feel part of the same living, breathing performance. The music was specially composed by the UAENO for the film, and what lifted the story beyond the VO was bringing Joe Connor on as director, with his evocative style and the engine of electriclime° behind it.”

The work marks the beginning of C2’s role as the UAE National Orchestra’s agency of record. The Dubai independent agency will lead the orchestra’s brand strategy and creative communications as it continues to build bridges between heritage and contemporary culture, reaching audiences across the UAE and beyond.

Credits:
Client: The UAE National Orchestra

Agency: C2 Comms
CEO: Roy Aftimos
Executive Creative Director: Pablo Maldonado
Senior Copywriter: Anant Kurup
Arabic Copywriter: Muneer Al Rayes
Business Director: Layal El Sayed
Senior Account Manager: Leticia Mhawej
Account Executive: Jana Issa
Head of Strategy: Saurabh Dahiya
Strategist: Sanjana Sadeesh

Production Company: electriclime°
Director: Joe Connor
Co-Founders: Michael Ahmadzadeh, Pabz Alexander
Executive Producers: Jumana Radi & Layal Mooti
Producer: Hiam Salibi
Production Coordinators: Leslie Tjing, Malak Edris
Production Assistants: Aswani Kumar, Hayal Usman, Anastasiia Zatsepina
DoP: Mike McMillin
Wardrobe Stylist: Sarah Keyrouz

Post Production: Sunny Vfx
Post Producer: Ben McFarlane
Editor: David Zavadescu
Colour: George K @ Black Kite
Audio: Theo Vernon @ King Lear
Online Artists: RayJohn Fernandez, Sandeep Bacche