Sounds from the Silk Route

Later this month the domeshaped ceiling of the restored 574seater Royal Opera House will reverberate with music from a fourstringed Chinese lute called pipa the Afghan rubab qanun known to be part of Middle Eastern music since the 10th century saxophone and tabla Playing the instruments which represent the Eastern and Western ends of the historical Silk Route will be six artistes from China Afghanistan Syria and Italy Theyrsquove been brought together by the Aga Khan Music Initiative AKMI for a concert titled New Music from the Ends of the Silk Route presented in association with Asia Society India CentreThe Silk Route refers to an ancient network of trade routes through regions of the Asian continent connecting the East and West from China to the Mediterranean Sea The route derives its name from the Chinese silk trade carried along its length during the Han dynasty 207 BCE 220 CE ldquoThe transEurasian trade routes also served as conduits of cultural exchange which included music The ensemble represents a presentday incarnation of that legacy of intercultural connectivity which in turn stimulated the creation of new musical styles genres and instrumentsrdquo shares Fairouz R Nishanova director of AKMI an interregional music and arts education programmeThe ensemble features artistes who have worked with AKMI for over 15 years not only as performers but also as pioneering composers arrangers improvisers and teachers Bunty Chand CEO Asia Society India Centre shares ldquoOver the years AKMI has connected USA and Asia through music This year they shared an interest in coming to Mumbai and it was the perfect way to celebrate Asia Societyrsquos 10th year in India At a time of great change around the world the performance with musicians from Central Asia exemplifies our mission to build bridges of understanding and trust while highlighting the existing connections between the people of AsiardquoMeet the artistesAndrea PiccioniInstrument Frame drumsA native of Rome Piccioni first mastered the Southern Italian percussion instrument tamburello and then went on to study studied frame drum rhythms mdash singleheaded drums played with hands rather than sticks mdash and its performance techniques from the Middle East North Africa and Central Asia An experienced teacher he is also the artistic director of Frame Drums Italia International FestivalBasel RajoubInstrument Saxophone duclarOver time saxophone the European invention has become a universal instrument used by musicians from South India to South Africa to perform myriad forms of traditional fusion and contemporary music One of them is Syriaborn Rajoub who graduated from the Damascus High Institute of Music He also plays the duclar a wind instrument and is a composer who creates music inspired by traditional Middle Eastern rhythms as well as Jazz by bringing together musicians from the Middle East North Africa Asia and Europe He teaches tooFeras CharestanInstrument QanunHailing from the city of AlHasakeh in the northeast of Syria Charestan studied qanun at the High Institute of Music in Damascus The artiste has performed as a qanun soloist with symphony orchestras He has been a member of popular bands as well as contemporary music ensembles that are creating new music rooted in Middle Eastern traditionsHomayun SakhiInstrument Afghan rubabBorn in Kabul Sakhi is a master of the rubab considered the national instrument of Afghanistan but also used among Kabuli musicians to perform Indian classical music Hailing from one of Afghanistanrsquos leading musical families Sakhi is the heir to a musical lineage that began in the 1860s a time when Amir Sher Ali Khan the ruler of Kabul brought classically trained musicians from India to perform at his court Besides Afghan folk and popular music he also performs North Indian classical music ragaHomayun Sakhi and Salar NaderSalar NaderInstrument TablaNader was born in Germany to Afghan parents who were forced to flee their home during the RussianAfghan war As a child he moved to San Francisco When he was all of seven he began studying with the tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain He has performed in an eclectic range of ensembles and international music projects besides teaching tabla in US and Afghanistan with an aim to revitalise the indigenous musical traditionWu ManInstrument PipaA worldrenowned performer on the pipa Wu Man has been instrumental in putting the ancient fourstringed Chinese lute on the global map as a leading instrument of contemporary music in the East and West The artiste performs traditional and contemporary music on the pipa She was also a founding member of the Silk Road Ensemble created by cellist YoYo Ma and has played an active role in crosscultural music making in particular with members of Chinarsquos Uyghur minority