The Ismaili Community Ensemble in performance at Cadogan Hall, London, home of the Royal Philharmonic. Courtesy of The Ismaili UK

The Ismaili Community Ensemble (ICE) was created by the Ismaili Council for the United Kingdom in September 2007 as part of the commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of His Highness the Aga Khan (who is referred to by Ismailis as Mawlana Hazar Imam). The Jubilee marked 50 years since he succeeded his grandfather in 1957 to become the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.

With more than 40 musicians, the Ensemble collaborates closely with the London-based Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO), known internationally for maintaining the highest standard of music-making across a diverse range of repertoire. The partnership draws on shared passions and experience to nurture and grow musical talent.

In 1993, the RPO was the first orchestra in London to develop a community and education department, later known as RPO resound. Among the most diverse community education programmes in the UK, it inspires people of all ages, backgrounds and musical traditions to engage in music making of the highest quality. The RPO brings the programme to life through original composition and live performance. The Ensemble has benefitted from a strong relationship with the RPO organisation, in particular James Hutchinson, Head of Community and Education, and Paul Griffiths, ICE's musical director.

Members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform with the Ismaili Community Ensemble. Ismaili Council for the UK

ICE has performed for the Ismaili community and the wider public on a number of occasions. The Ensemble holds an annual concert at Cadogan Hall in London, and has also performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre and the Ismaili Centre, London. At the invitation of the Lord Mayor of London, the Ensemble performed at Eid in the Square in 2009.

A 2008 collaboration with the award-winning Irish composer, Ian Wilson resulted in a piece titled Armaghan – meaning “gift” in Persian. The piece was performed before Mawlana Hazar Imam during his historic Golden Jubilee visit to London in the same year.

ICE has also had the privilege of working with musicians from the music group Flux, as well as musicians from the Aga Khan Music Initiative in Central Asia, a programme of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. A specially created piece called Sevgilim – meaning “My Beloved” – was performed by ICE, Alim Qasimov Ensemble from Azerbaijan, and Flux, at a January 2010 concert in Cadogan Hall.

The Ismaili Ensemble performs Armaghan – a gift to Mawlana Hazar Imam during the UK Jamati institutional dinner held in his honour. Zahur Ramji

Every year since 2008, ICE has been a part of London's Exhibition Road Music Day, a festival of live, international music concerts and workshops. Celebrating the diversity of international cultures in the area, Music Day hosts over 100 indoor and outdoor performances and workshops, featuring urban, folk and rock genres, as well as classical, jazz, opera and world music.

The backbone of ICE and the reason for its continued success is each participant's willingness to listen, to learn and to create. The Ensemble seeks to express Muslim values that are dear to the Ismaili community, including the unity of humanity and a pluralist outlook on diversity. Each musician makes a valuable and unique contribution, expressing themselves at once as individuals and as part of a collective harmony.

In his forward to the Spirit and Life exhibition catalogue, Mawlana Hazar Imam noted that “the arts, particularly when they are spiritually inspired, can become a medium of discourse that transcends the barriers of our day-to-day experiences and pre-occupations.” The Ismaili Community Ensemble continues to build bridges and share its values and traditions with other communities of culture and tradition and society at large.

The Ismaili Community Ensemble takes a bow after a wonderful performance. Ismaili Council for the UK