Global Audience Gathers for the Indo-Persian Musical Union
From November 2020 to May 2021, the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music's Department of Ethnomusicology hosted an exceptional series titled "The Indo-Persian Musical Confluence." This scholarly and musical initiative aimed to shed light on the rich historical and cultural interaction between Indo and Persian musical traditions.
The series featured eight virtual panels and performances, each delving into various aspects of these shared musical cultures. Topics ranged from "Modal Negotiations" and "Indo-Persian Texts on Music" to "Indo-Persian Musical Hybrids in Afghanistan" and "The Qawwali Tradition."
Notable events included "Indo-Persian Musical Confluence in the Qawwali Tradition," where Wajiha Naqvi, Dhruv Sangari, and Shahwar Kibria Maqhfi discussed the fusion of Indo and Persian musical elements in the Qawwali tradition. Another highlight was "Indo-Persian Musical Hybrids in Afghanistan," which featured panelists John Baily, Lorraine Sakata, Mark Slobin, and a performance by Homayun Sakhi on the rubab.
Prominent musicians who performed in the series included Ustad Naseeruddin Saami and his sons from Pakistan, Homayoun Sakhi from Afghanistan, the Saznawaz Family from Kashmir, and more.
The series was co-sponsored by several partners, including the Mohindar Brar Sambhhi Chair in Indian Music, the Jahangir and Eleanor Amuzegar Chair in Contemporary Iranian Studies, the Program of Iranian Studies, the Center for Near Eastern Studies, the Center for India and South Asia, and the UCLA Department of Ethnomusicology. It was hosted and sponsored by the Center for Musical Humanities.
Professor Anna Morcom and Postdoctoral Scholar Mohsen Mohammadi collaborated on the series, with Mohammadi curating the events. Notable panelists included Taees Gheirati (UBC), Deepak Paramashivan (University of Alberta), Behzad Namazi (Ohio University,) William Rees Hofmann (SOAS University of London), Katherine Butler Schofield (King's College, London), Richard Davis Williams (SOAS University of London), Ayesha Sheth (University of Pennsylvania), Vivek Virani (University of North Texas), Bonnie Wade (UC Berkeley), Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak (UCLA), George Mürer (CUNY), Max G. Katz (William & Mary), Allyn Miner (University of Pennsylvania), Dard Neuman (UC Santa Cruz), Richard Widdess (SOAS London), Suresh Chandvankar (Society of Indian Record Collectors, Mumbai), Anoushka Deb (University of Delhi), Syed Yaser Ali (Independent Scholar), Pushpita Mitra (JNU-India), Peter Manuel (CUNY), Joep Bor (Leiden University), Yousuf Saeed (Independent Scholar and Filmmaker), Françoise 'Nalini' Delvoye (EPHE, Paris), Assadullah Shour (Independent Scholar), and Pegah Shahbaz (University of Toronto.
The series aimed to give new prominence to the contemporary musical legacy of these cultures while enhancing scholarly studies and musical collaborations. It played a significant role in promoting cross-cultural understanding and appreciation of musical heritage at UCLA.
For those interested in specific details from the 2020-2021 series, academic or UCLA music department archives or event recordings may provide precise insights.
Engaging with both education and self-development, participants in the 2020-2021 "Indo-Persian Musical Confluence" series at UCLA delved into various aspects of Indo-Persian musical cultures. The series, enriched with online learning resources, offered a platform for scholars like Taees Gheirati and performers such as Homayun Sakhi.
Inspiring entertainment and fostering musical knowledge, the series showcased a variety of performances and academic discussions on subjects like "Indo-Persian Musical Hybrids" and "Modal Negotiations" in music.
