The Tehzeeb Foundation of Pakistan, in collaboration with the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa), kicked off a two-day music festival at the academy’s Zia Mohyeddin Auditorium on Saturday. South Asian classical, semi-classical, ghazal and folk music was featured with eminent artists from all over the world.
The 13th edition of the festival brought some of the best South Asian music and creativity. Since 2008, the Tehzeeb Foundation and Napa have held 12 festivals, several music concerts, art exhibitions and literary sessions to develop, promote and present the cultural ethos of the South Asian lands and their people.
Thirteen-year-old Izzat Fateh Ali Khan from Hyderabad kicked off the festival with his mesmerizing Kalam, and the audience could not get enough of him. He presented Raag Chatarang, which he said has six Surs. He is a student of class nine.
Talking to The News, he shared how he had learned the Raag from his family. He said his family history is all about Raag and Sur. His father Ustad Fateh Ali Khan has trained him. He has been learning music since childhood.
In classical music the genre of Khiyaal, he said, kicked off from his ancestral family Mian Bhanne Khan. “They spread the Khiyaal genre in the entire Punjab,” he said, adding that now it is prospering.
The youngest performer of the night shared that he has also performed at the All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) in Karachi, the APMC in Lahore and at the Tehzeeb Festival. Speaking about his schedule, he said he sings with his father every evening for vocal training and polishing. Napa CEO Junaid Zuberi congratulated the management of the Tehzeeb Festival for inaugurating the 13th such festival. He said that it is a strenuous task to arrange this festival every year. The love and passion with which they are taking it forward is commendable, he added. “I’m sure the future of classical music is bright,” said Zuberi. Post-Covid, he said, such events in the city are a good omen. Seeing the house full, he appreciated the fact that so many people had poured in to listen to classical music and appreciate it. “Classical music is our heritage. It’s our identity,” he said, adding that Napa’s mandate is to help Pakistan’s traditional music flourish and educate people about it.
Another spectacular performance was by Vidya Shah of India. She sang a Ghazal of the Thumri genre.
She contributed to the festival by sending a recording of her performance from Delhi. Imran Ilyas Khan presented Raag Des Tabla that left the audience in awe. The event will conclude on Sunday (today).