Music Mela Conference 2014

By Ally Adnan – Photos by Shaharyar Khan

The Music Mela Conference 2014 was help over 3 days in Islamabad.  The event was sponsored by the U. S. Embassy, in collaboration with the Foundation for Arts, Culture and Education (FACE) and the Pakistan – U. S. Alumni Network (PUAN), and featured workshops, live demonstrations, panel discussions, lectures and performances by more than fifteen bands and musicians. Virtually all genres of Pakistani music -khayal, ghazal, geet, qawwali, kafi, rock, folk, fusion, and popular music – were represent at the conference. Abbas Ali Khan, Arieb Azhar, Zeb Bangash, Taimur Khan, Malang Party, Mai Dhai, Imran Aziz Mian, Mekaal Hassan Band, Humeira Channa, Shairi Bakhsi, Akmal Qadri, Poor Rich Boy were amongst the musicians who performed for over two thousand people who attended the event. Khumaariyan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-based instrumental band became the heart and soul of the show with a thrilling performance that energized everyone, forcing them to sing and dance along with the band. Band members Farhan Bogra, Sparlay Rawail, Shiraz Khan and Aamer Shafiq performed their hits Bela, Shehnai and Malang Yar and many others for an enthusiastic audience for several hours. Uxi Mufti, representatives from Coke Studios and Sachal Studio, Haroon Rashid and Todd Puckhaber participated in the panel discussions and lectures.