Naseer Shamma founded the Eastern Orchestra with 70 musicians playing instruments from the Middle and Near East, joined by graduates of the Arab Oud House in Cairo and its international branches. The ensemble debuted at the Fifth Abu Dhabi Festival of Music and Arts in 2008 with the programme 'Spirit of the East', performing signature Shamma works — Tahiya, Al-Sheikh Wa Ana, Jidariyat Al-Hayat, Zaman Al-Nahawand, Banafsij Al-Asabi', Ashiq Al-Rouh, Fawq Al-Nakhl, Mawlana Jalal Al-Din Al-Rumi, Bayn Al-Nakhil.

What distinguishes the Eastern Orchestra is that it is built entirely from authentic Eastern instruments — oud, qanun, ney and their derivatives (saz, jawza, santur, lyra, kamancha) — deployed at symphonic scale, a first in the history of Arabic music.