Random Blog (Extra Credit)

During Spring Break I had the opportunity to experience music in a way that I never had before. I've trained as a musician for quite a few years going up, but this was truly extra ordinary. I've heard of 'Qawwali' singing before but this was the first time I got to experience it live. At an event organised by my parents, as a sort of Thanksgiving to celebrate my dad's fiftieth birthday, I got to experience, what I believe, to be the pinnacle of folk music. 

Qawwali is a form of Islamic, often devotional folk music originating from South Asia. Now in the West, we often assume 'Islamic' and 'Arabic' cultures to be nearly the same. But South Asia, especially India has a vibrant Culture of Islam as well, going back almost a thousand years. From the Sultans of Delhi to the Mughal Empire, a large part of Indian culture is influenced by the Arab world. Qawwali music is just one side of this cultural integration. It is a slight departure from Sufi music, restricting itself to grander themes about society and religion. 

I have been musically inclined since a young age, but my exposure has been limited to western music theory and rock and pop performance vocals. Qawwali for me was uncharted territory and this first experience was exhilarating. Nestled in the courtyard of a famous old mosque, we sat, a group of about a hundred, listening to what felt like storytelling in the form of music. The lyrics were poems full of life lessons and the melody so beautiful, yet so simple. Listening to the music made me wonder the amount of skill it must take to reach this level of performance. Complete with a full set of musicians and percussionists, this performance was more raw than anything I've ever seen. The audience too, was more involved than I've ever seen at any concert. This performance gave me a new perspective on what music can do to people.