Maestro sings: Evening with Ustad Qamaruz Zaman at Arts Council

In an effort to revive the fading tradition of classical music, Rawalpindi Arts Council arranged an evening with classical singer and winner of Pride of Performance award Ustad Qamaruz Zaman on Saturday, said a press release.

The maestro started the evening with “Moore Ghar Aayo” in Raag Poria Kalyaan Thaat Marwa in “aik Taal” which is the raag of night followed by “Nach Tap Akhian” in the same raag but in “teen Taal.”

After the raagas, he sang Punjabi folk songs which the audience liked. These were “Yadan Terian Ni”, “Me Taino Yar Bana Beta” and “Kaane Mundran te Huth Vich Kasa.” All the three were composed by Zaman himself.



Lahore Punjab Council of the Arts Executive Director Chaudhry Muhammad Asif was the guest of honor. Former RAC director Naheed Manzoor and Resident Director RAC Waqar Ahmed also participated.

The other brother Ustad Badaruz Zaman has contributed to melodic literature in Pakistan by authoring four books on music which is rare as most of the knowledge in music is passed on from generations to generations, said Sohail Sajid, a music enthusiast. “And there exists very little literature around the rich heritage of music in the subcontinent.”

The duo has been singing together since early fifties. They belong to the “Kasur Gharana” and are considered eminent practitioners and promoters of Khayal style of music.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2014.