When the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, 273 musicians from the Afghan National Institute of Music (ANIM) in Kabul were evacuated. The ANIM now continues in exile the great musical traditions of Afghanistan and passes them on to a younger generation of musicians. Under the direction of the renowned Ustad Murad Sarkhosh, five of these artists will perform in Brussels.

What we now call Afghan art music, with its melodic scales, is very close to classical North Indian music. It was mainly played in the 19th century and later at the court of the Afghan king, who brought numerous musicians from British India to Kabul. Musicians from Kabul studied with masters in India and Pakistan. There was a lively musical exchange throughout the region. Instruments such as the Indian percussion tabla found their way into Afghan music, and the Afghan rubab was transformed into the sarod in India.
The repertoire can be roughly divided into three categories: simple instrumental pieces played mainly with rubab and tabla, instrumental pieces in four voices, and long instrumental suites. In addition, there is a wide variety of folk music songs and dances from all regions of the country, which are usually played in the rhythms Geda (4/4), Dadra (6/8) and Mogholi (7/8).

Ustad Murad Sarkhosh : ghichak, kashgar rubab, vocals, artistic direction
Huma Rahimi: sitar
Ramez Safar : Afghan rubab
Ustad Ibrahim Ibrahimi : tabla
Bilal Asify : harmonium