Daily Times

Violin maestro Ustad Dilshad Hussain Khan said that fusion of music demands the right knowledge of European and eastern music and the modern music scene in Pakistan lacks the right knowledge of such traditions.

Pakistan-United States (US) citizenship holder violinist Ustad Dilshad Hussain Khan, who moved to the US back in 1996, said on Sunday that how can one claim to present fusion if one is not aware of the European and eastern music traditions, adding he could play western classical music, jazz, blues, eastern classical music and all kinds of regional Pakistani music.

Dilshad Hussain Khan has recently returned to Pakistan after a voyage of more than two decades during which he played music all around the world and won the hearts of world audiences through fusion of classical eastern music with European music. He also enjoys the distinction of being the only Pakistani violinist who has played his composition alongside his musician son Ustad Samar Hussain Khan at Capitol Hill, Washington DC.

A proud inheritor of the Delhi Gharana, Hussain Khan learnt violin on the insistence of his father who wanted him to master some other music genres although the Delhi Gharana is known for tabla and sarangi music through great exponents of sarangi who are Ustad Bundu Khan and Ustad Gamay Khan respectively.

About the younger generation, the US based musician said that there was need to pass on the pedigree to the younger generation in the country, stressing he had returned to his motherland to make his mastery known to the countrymen.

Ustad Dilshad revealed that he will shortly be performing a ‘Fusion Concert’ at the Alhamra Arts Council during which he will present Ludwig Van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart compositions with eastern classical music like Raag Darabari and Raag Puria Dhansri besides presenting violin with tabla.

A proud inheritor of the Delhi Gharana, Hussain Khan learnt violin on the insistence of his father who wanted him to master some other music genres although the Delhi Gharana is known for tabla and sarangi music through great exponents of sarangi who are Ustad Bundu Khan and Ustad Gamay Khan respectively

He said he was also in negotiations with Alhamra Executive Director Athar Ali Khan to teach music at Alhamra.

To a query, Ustad Dilshad said violin was the closest to human voice, adding it was a unique music instrument with close affinity to human voice. About its diversity, he said violin was more align to all genres of music from the times of Beethoven and Mozart to eastern classical musical tradition of Ameer Khusrow to Tansen and the contemporary music, adding that violin could play all kinds of music where the scope of sarangi, tabla and sitar was limited.

He dispelled the impression that violin was an instrument of sadness, adding that it could reflect all moods.

About his career, he said he started out with Radio Pakistan in 1973 and had worked with all singers including Mehdi Hassan, Noor Jahan, Abida Parveen, Farida Khanum, Mahnaz Begum including the classical music masters like Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Salamat Ali Khan. He had also worked with famous composers of the film industry like Nisar Bazmi, Khurshid Anwer, A Hameed and others.

On moving to the US, Ustad Dilshad said he was forced to leave Pakistan after he was denied by Radio Pakistan to attend Berlin Festival and perform there.

The eastern music maestro, to a query, said he had returned to his motherland to retrace his lost status on the country’s music scene and contribute to its music. Courtesy urdu point