A Migrations East-West 2010 Event

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'A glimpse of the way music has traditionally unified Afghanistan. Excellent.' The Independent

This Asian Music Circuit programme celebrates one of the world's great musical traditions and is focused on the ancient Silk Road city of Herat (700 miles from Kabul, founded by Alexander the Great, and now a World Heritage site), where the influence of Persian mysticism, Sufi poetry, the playing of the plucked dotar and rubat lutes, and vocal imitations of birdsong have created unique Herati styles in both folk and courtly classical music, both of which will be heard tonight. It's also a region where music and poetry are so ingrained in everyday life that Heratis were willing to defy the Taliban's outlawing of music-making, taking their culture underground.

The musicians include Nasin Rahim Kushnawaz on rubab, Gada Muhammad on dotar, Muhammad Aziz on harmonium, and the singers Mina Amani and Namatullah Hossain.

'At the crossroads of three ancient civilisations, [Afghanistan] is unified by music ... authentically, irresistibly raw sounds.' The Scotsman

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'The Music of Afghanistan' takes place as part of the first UK festival of Herati music and culture from Afghanistan. The festival aims to open a door onto the multifaceted and very rich Afghan heritage and bridge the gap in the knowledge and understanding of a country which is too often only associated with conflict, poverty and the Talibans. As an important trading centre, Herat has continuously absorbed new ideas and influences from Iran and India. There is a long history of artistic development amongst a people whose culture brings them close to music, poetry, visual art, gardens, birdsong and the love of nature. Even during the time of the Taliban ban on music-making of the late 1990s Herati people were defiant, taking great risks to gather in secret places to make music, saying they could not live without this fundamental aspect to life.

amc.org.uk