Watch: Folk artists present Kashmir musical symphony at G20

SRINAGAR: For the first time, a Kashmiri musical symphony was presented before G20 delegates at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Center (SKICC) on Monday.

Conceived, composed, and conducted by noted singer Waheed Jeelani, nearly 30 folk artists were part of the traditional symphony.

“It was a unique symphony where we used only Kashmiri traditional instruments including Santoor, Rabaab, Naut, Tumbakh Nari, and others. Those who presented the symphony were grassroots artists who had come from far-flung areas of Kashmir,” Waheed told The Kashmir Monitor.

The artists have been rehearsing for the last one and a half months for a 10-minute symphony. “It was for the first time such a symphony was created and presented. We used fresh tunes to create this Sazina. Usually, we have seen that cultural programs have always been laced with vocals. As the name suggests, this symphony was all instrumental. I am happy to share that delegates loved it very much,” said Waheed.

What added a new dimension to the whole program was that some artists were performing for the first time before such an august audience. “Some of the artists are unsung. They have not performed at this level despite being the repository of talent. Some artists had come from Kupwara. Some were from other far-flung areas. It was a unique experience for them too,” he said.

The third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting kicked off at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Center (SKICC) on May 22. The first Working Group meeting was held in February at Rann of Kutch in Gujarat. The second meeting was held from April 1 to 3 in Siliguri, West Bengal.

“A folk song and dance program was also presented. Folk songs and dances of all regions, communities, and regions were showcased on this occasion. It was a 45-minute program where different folk artists performed. I was in charge of the Kashmir segment. I sang a Kashmiri song to represent the valley,” he said.

On the concluding day, the organizers will be presenting a J&K symphony which will be a mélange of artists from Kashmir and Jammu. “Artists from Jammu have arrived and they are rehearsing with us. We will be presenting a unique J&K symphony before the delegates. This program is jointly being coordinated and conducted by me and Balwant Thakur,” said Waheed.