‘A magical journey’

Islamabad:Good news for music buffs! The Asian Study Group in collaboration with Alliance Francaise and Serena Hotel has organised a concert on Monday by French/ Morrocan artiste Zakaria Haffar who played several string instruments, from the guitar to the Arabic ‘Oud’, before fully devoting himself to the ‘Santur’- a Persian ancient instrument with 72 metal strings, played with delicate wooden hammers.

He will also perform on the “Oud” perhaps the chief stringed instrument South and East of the Mediterranean. With five or six double strings, its rich, deep sound lends itself to music both spiritual and technical, folklore as well as classical Arabic and Ottoman repertoires. According to reviews, 'He weaves his voice with the pure, crystalline sounds of the Santur strings, to develop a repertoire both traditional and spiritual, gleaned during his years around the Mediterranean, as well as personal compositions and improvisations with influences ranging from Anatolian to Celtic or Persian music.'