Mystic Voices: Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Group

Preview the new Tara Theatre with a unique concert of mystic voices from Pakistan!

The family of Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin group trace their ancestry back to the 13th-century and are considered today the leading singers of the Sufi Qawwali tradition. Their songs embody thousands of years of mystic poetry which has been passed on from generation to generation.

The qawwali format relies on a commanding lead singer with call-and-responses on chosen poetic stanzas. Together with the qawwal group's lead singers, the supporting chorus with harmoniums (hand pumped piano) and tabla and dholaks (cylindrical drum) slowly build on improvisations and go deep into the meaning and ethos of Sufi poetry, musically evoking the feel of whirling dervishes. The central themes of qawwali are of love and devotion.

This entirely acoustic performance, presented in a salon atmosphere – where audiences are encouraged to sit with the musicians - promises to be a uniquely intimate experience in the new Tara Theatre.