Karachi hosts 23rd All Pakistan Music Conference

The All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) returned to the stage at the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) on April 4 and 5, bringing together musicians, singers, and instrumentalists from across Pakistan for a vibrant two-day celebration of classical and traditional music. Speaking Express Tribune Director of the conference Ayla Raza, reflected on the journey, saying, "We can take some credit for the success we are seeing today. When we started, many of these platforms were either limited or fading away. Radio and television, which once used to produce rich content like classical music programmes, had significantly declined. At that time, we would actively search for artists even senior musicians from traditional gharanas who had not performed for years and bring them back to the stage." She added, "Today, the situation has clearly changed. You can see a large number of students and young performers participating, along with artists from various gharanas. I believe this marks an important turning point, especially as we have now completed 23 years. Another major shift is in the audience demographic. Earlier, the audience mostly consisted of people aged forty and above. But now, if you look around, you will see many young people attending and engaging with this music. Veteran musician Ustad Farhan Raees Khan praised the conference's organization and impact, saying, "The All Pakistan Music Conference, which has been taking place for many years, has been organized beautifully over time, and much credit goes to Ayla Raza for curating it so thoughtfully. She often invites me, and I always make an effort to be part of it". The two-day festival featured performances from a wide range of musicians, including sitar and tabla virtuosos, classical singers, and emerging young artists from across Pakistan.