Eastern beauty: An evening with the sitar maestro
Ustad Raees Khan and son Farhan Khan deliver a delightful performance at Lok Virsa.
ISLAMABAD:
A classical music evening with the legendary sitar maestro Ustad Raees Khan was held at the Lok Virsa’s Open Air Theatre on Tuesday. The event was organised by ‘Mausikaar’ -- an organisation arranging classical music programmes in the capital for quite some time -- in collaboration with the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, popularly known as Lok Virsa.
The weather was perfectly idyllic; the guests were delighted by the music, clapping enthusiastically to their favourite ragas amid light breeze and in Lok Virsa’s quaint atmosphere.
Tahir Khan, Vice-President of Mausikaar and a Lok Virsa board member, spoke about Ustad Raees family background and work. “Tonight you are seeing the legendary Ustad Raees Khan and his son Farhan Raees Khan. They are considered the best in the South Asian Subcontinent.” Borne in Indore, India in 1939, the Ustad moved to Pakistan 30 years ago and married Bilquees Khanum, a renowned vocalist in her own right.
He belongs to the Mewati gharana (school of classical music). His father was a master beenkar (classical musical instrument Rudra Vina player). From maternal side, he belongs to the Etawah gharana. The Ustad attributes his success and fame to his mother, who was the sister of Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan, one of the great sitar players of the Subcontinent.
Ustad Raees enthralled audience by presenting ragas in khayal, dhurpad, thumri and various compositions.
Ustad Raees has extensively toured throughout the world. He received the first prize and a gold medal at the International Youth Festival in Poland’s capital, Warsaw, in 1955. As an accomplished vocalist, he recorded the famous song “Ghungroo toot gaye” for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) London in 1978. Lok Virsa’s Executive Director Khalid Javaid also spoke on the occasion and said his organisation has been working to preserve and promote the indigenous folk culture of Pakistan. “Through its various activities and programmes, Lok Virsa creates awareness among the masses about the importance of folk artists and musicians in national life,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2011.
A classical music evening with the legendary sitar maestro Ustad Raees Khan was held at the Lok Virsa’s Open Air Theatre on Tuesday. The event was organised by ‘Mausikaar’ -- an organisation arranging classical music programmes in the capital for quite some time -- in collaboration with the National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, popularly known as Lok Virsa.
The weather was perfectly idyllic; the guests were delighted by the music, clapping enthusiastically to their favourite ragas amid light breeze and in Lok Virsa’s quaint atmosphere.
Tahir Khan, Vice-President of Mausikaar and a Lok Virsa board member, spoke about Ustad Raees family background and work. “Tonight you are seeing the legendary Ustad Raees Khan and his son Farhan Raees Khan. They are considered the best in the South Asian Subcontinent.” Borne in Indore, India in 1939, the Ustad moved to Pakistan 30 years ago and married Bilquees Khanum, a renowned vocalist in her own right.
He belongs to the Mewati gharana (school of classical music). His father was a master beenkar (classical musical instrument Rudra Vina player). From maternal side, he belongs to the Etawah gharana. The Ustad attributes his success and fame to his mother, who was the sister of Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan, one of the great sitar players of the Subcontinent.
Ustad Raees enthralled audience by presenting ragas in khayal, dhurpad, thumri and various compositions.
Ustad Raees has extensively toured throughout the world. He received the first prize and a gold medal at the International Youth Festival in Poland’s capital, Warsaw, in 1955. As an accomplished vocalist, he recorded the famous song “Ghungroo toot gaye” for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) London in 1978. Lok Virsa’s Executive Director Khalid Javaid also spoke on the occasion and said his organisation has been working to preserve and promote the indigenous folk culture of Pakistan. “Through its various activities and programmes, Lok Virsa creates awareness among the masses about the importance of folk artists and musicians in national life,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2011.