Murree echoes with music contest

Young musicians take the stage to showcase talents, win prizes

MURREE:

The First Punjab Music Competition was held in Murree under the auspices of the Punjab Arts Council. More than 100 candidates aged 14 to 30, from across Murree participated in the competition.

The awards ceremony following the competition was graced by the Assistant Commissioner of Murree, Capt (retd) Abdul Wahab, as the chief guest. Director Sajjad Hussain, Anam Khalid, Muhammad Ashraf, Muhammad Suleman and Ahmed Raza were also present alongside the chief guest.

While addressing the participants, the chief guest praised the enthusiastic participation of the people of Murree in the musical event. He extended special appreciation to the heads of educational institutions and parents for their strong support in encouraging the children to participate in the competition.

“The Punjab Arts Council Murree has always been committed to promoting art and culture in the province,” he said. At the end, the chief guest congratulated the administration of the Murree Arts Council for successfully organising the music competition.

Director of Arts Council, Sajjad Hussain, stated that the platform provided by the Punjab Arts Council played a crucial role in promoting classical music. “The Arts Council keeps the art of classical music alive among the new generation, and thanks to artists and connoisseurs, our halls remain vibrant.”

He added that the families who have rendered significant services in classical music hail from Punjab. “These families have kept this art alive even in the modern era. The talent that emerges from competitions held across the province shines on the world stage,” he said.

In the competition, Afzal Latifi, Nawazish Ali Hazrovi, and Rubina Khanum served as judges. Quratulain Shehzad, Sawera, and Safiullah secured first, second, and third positions respectively. The winners received prizes of Rs10,000, 20,000, and 15,000 respectively.

A divisional competition for the winners from district-level competitions held in Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Murree and Rawalpindi will take place on Thursday, May 30 at 1pm at the Rawalpindi Arts Council.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2024.