Doha, November 04 (QNA) - The 10th Katara European Jazz Festival 2026 started on Wednesday, featuring a range of performances from nine European countries alongside Qatar Music Academy (QMA). 
Lasting until November 7, the event features various music schools and serves as a platform for cultural and artistic exchange between people.  
As part of the Festival, the General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation (Katara), Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, and Their Excellencies ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions to the State of Qatar, opened an exhibition by Portuguese photographer Rosa Reis, with the participation of HE Ambassador of the Portuguese Republic to the State of Qatar, Ana Filomena da Costa Rocha. The exhibition documents past moments of the Katara European Jazz Festival.
The four-day Festival is being held near Katara beachfront next to gates 20 and 21. It features the countries of Italy, Austria, France, Finland, Malta, Hungary, Spain, Germany, and Cyprus. It includes a series of culturally rich shows that merges classic and contemporary jazz, as well as European, Arab and Latin sounds.
The first day included a musical performance by QMA, with the participation of 40 musicians of established artists, instructors, and students.
A Qatari youth choir also presented a performance that included snippets of classic jazz and Arabic and Latin sounds, using the flute and instruments employed for Arab music, a musical experience that served as a meeting point between local and global art. 
The opening also featured a performance by France's Illyes Ferfera Quartet, led by French-Algerian saxophonist Illyes Ferfera. The performance was inspired by sounds from North Africa, American and Latin jazz, and French music.  
The 10th Katara European Jazz Festival 2026 marks a key stop in Katara's calendar of international cultural events. It reflects Katara's goal in introducing visitors to diverse music and contributing to cultural cooperation with European embassies. 
The activities of the Festival continues Thursday with three musical shows from Austria, Germany and Cyprus. (QNA)