Musical evening: A nod to the maestro and his disciples

Ustad Sultan Fateh Ali Khan invigorates yet another mehfil with his timeless melodies.

ISLAMABAD:

Amid classical beats and soulful singing, Ustad Sultan Fateh Ali Khan recreated a delightful aura for his fans at Kuch Khaas (KK) on Thursday. Unlike previous performances, the maestro was joined by his students who had been practicing for months and had finally gotten an opportunity to showcase their talent before an audience.

Seven year-old Rana Duad Sahir stunned listeners with his exceptional vocals, “I was amazed at his pitch, he was brilliant,” exclaimed Sara Malik, an audience member. Other performers such as Qudsiya Manzoor and Abida Ijaz among others were mesmerising in their own rights.

“The performers were at different levels of training but equally commendable,” said Programme Coordinator Umme Aimen Kazmi. She said that more of such events had been planned for the year. “We are thinking of conducting a concert every six months, as more students join in,” she added.

Khan belongs to the famous Patiala gharana, a family which has produced several generations of renowned classical singers. He is the son of the Ustad Fateh Ali Khan and nephew of the late Ustad Amanat Ali Khan. He started his singing career at the tender age of seven under the tutelage of classical music giants. Apart from classical singing, Khan also excels at semi-classical, ghazal, folk and light singing.

Khan formed the first pop band of Lahore in 1987, called ‘The Avengers’, and was one of the pioneers in combining pop and classical music. His cousin Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan followed suit later on and formed the band ‘Fusion’.

Apart from performing all over the country, Khan has also performed in European countries, the Middle East, India, South Africa, Bangladesh and Nepal. He has also written and composed several songs such as “Ankhon ke saagar” and “Tere bina jiya nahi jaye”which were sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali when he was with Fusion. Besides KK, he also teaches classical singing at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts and Mausikar, run by a trust of the same name.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2012.