A Panel Discussion on “Waking Up Our Music”, featuring Noori, Xulfi, Junaid Khan, Umair Jaswal, Jamal Rahman & Khalid Bajwa is all set to be held in Lahore on 5th September 2015.
Ever since humanity has learnt to create, it has found that the art it makes acts as a mirror to the society it is made in. Today, Pakistani music – just like Pakistani society – stands at a crossroads. On one side lies the endemic inertia and insecurity which has plagued the music scene for so long, and on the other side lies the opportunities offered by new technologies and ideas. In the middle lies the beating heart which has fuelled Pakistani arts, and particularly music, for as long as the country has existed. The question now is; what needs to be done to allow the heart to follow the opportunities that await it.
Today, Pakistani musicians are rarely seen on the nation’s TV channels, and even then it’s mostly as actors or talk show analysts. They are rarely heard on their country’s radio channels, they are not found performing on its stages, they are not seen or heard by its people. In the last few years, the sheer desperation of this situation has prompted a conversation about reviving the once-thriving music scene. However, much of this debate has been about the role of policies, of institutions and of infrastructure. There is no doubt that these issues are intrinsic to the problem at hand, but it is imperative that we also speak about the most fundamental concern – namely that without any new music, there would be no music scene.
On Saturday the 5th of September, Noori and Patari are hosting a discussion on the topic #WakingUpOurMusic. The panel will comprise of Ali Noor, Ali Hamza, Xulfi, Junaid Khan, Umair Jaswal, Jamal Rehman and Khalid Bajwa. The idea is to hold a free-wheeling discussion on the reality of making music in Pakistan; the responsibilities towards it and the obstructions preventing it. It will also be considering whether it is artistically or commercially feasible to create new content, and explore how a lack of infrastructure impacts the creative process. The panelists will also share their insights on the inspirations for musicians that are unique to our society, and what we can learn from our history to apply in our present. Central to this discussion would be the role of the audience, and how it can contribute towards a sustainable music scene.
The aim of this event is to place the artist and the creative process at the forefront of any efforts at #WakingUpOurMusic. It will look to emphasise the importance of a symbiotic relationship between the performer and the audience, and how it can lead to sustainable and creatively vibrant music. Ultimately, this is an attempt to seize a moment in our history – it is an attempt to will ourselves away from the precipice and march onwards towards a more progressive future.
If music is what holds us together as a people, then music is what will elevate us well. Let’s contribute to the noble effort of #WakingUpOurMusic.
Fahad is an entrepreneur and a marketing enthusiast who loves to write on trending topics. He loves travelling & playing tennis is what he does in his leisure time. He tweets @fahad164.
Email:- fahad164@gmail.com , fahad@themediaparadigm.com
