Sterling Heights Arab orchestra building fanbase around the world.

And even now, "we have people from embassies asking if they can get tickets" to the 1,100-seat NAO performance and two other sold-out performances that are part of the "Taking Back Our Narrative", three-day festival presented by the center and the Arab America Foundation, McMichael said. Ibrahim usually plays an instrument while he is conducting and is "like the Freddie Mercury of the Arab world", incredibly charismatic and engaging with the audience, NAO's Executive Director Sherri Richards said. When tickets for the Sterling Heights-based National Arab Orchestra's inaugural performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts became available in late January, they sold out within two hours. [Extracted from the article]