Demystifying Qawwali

Qawwali is the most popular Sufi devotional music from South Asia and, in recent years, has gained increased attention from worldwide audiences. Despite its popularity, upbeat rhythm and emotional appeal, qawwali's origins and lyrics are shrouded in mystery. Join Umair Jaffar as he explains the genre, explores its history and demystifies the hidden messages in its poetry.

Umair Jaffar:

Umair Jaffar is a cultural anthropologist, performing arts curator and producer; well-known for his work in documenting and presenting traditional performing art forms of Pakistan. He is the founder of the Institute for Preservation of Art and Culture (also known as IPAC Pakistan) and is currently the Executive Director of Small World Music, Toronto’s oldest and largest presenter of culturally diverse music.

Experience Hamza Akram Qawwal and Brothers live at the Aga Khan Museum Auditorium April 19 at 8:30PM. Learn more here.

Part of Small World Music Society's 17th Annual Asian Music Series.