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Music Department

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NAPA students of music learn from a faculty comprising practising musicians, musicologists and visiting maestros. They also have the opportunity to enrich their repertoire of compositions and styles by tutelage under many teachers. Today NAPA has become the pioneer in setting the foundation of a new method of musical training in Pakistan.

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Music Department key achievements this year:

NAPA released its first music publication, a book authored by NAPA’s music advisor Mr. SM Shahid. The book is titled Great Masters – Pakistani Classical Music and other memorabilia on Classical, Folk & Ghazal Music
A ‘Gallery of the Greats’ (an art gallery), was set up at NAPA in conjunction with the release of the Great Masters book. Now open to the public, the gallery features hand drawn portraits of the great masters featured in the book by SM Shahid. The portraits were created by fine artist Sharjeel Baloch.
Courses:

The Music Department offers a three-year diploma course in Music during which students spend nine trimesters on academic as well as practical training. It is our ambition that through a rigorous and demanding training programme students will imbibe a sense of culture so that their creative musical output is channelled towards discovering expressions worthy of our heritage. Students interested in instruments other than those mentioned above can also apply. Admission may be given if the class strength is adequate.

Diploma Course:
The NAPA Music Department offers a 1-year foundation course followed by a 3-year diploma course. Students focus on vocals or an instrument. They are trained in both Eastern and Western theory and practice, and spend 6 semesters in intensive academic as well as practical training.
Vocal:
  • Classical
  • Light Classical
  • Ghazal
  • Popular
Instrumental (students must select one instrument):
  • Piano
  • Flute
  • Guitar
  • Tabla
  • Vocals
  • Sarangi
Management

Hamza Ali Jafri

Head of Department, Music.

A music educationist, music director, composer & producer, Hamza Ali Jafri founded The Guitar School Lahore in 2009, and co-founded the MAD School (Music Art Dance) Karachi in 2010. Hamza has designed & led several music education programs for Karachi communities in collaboration with USAID and UNICEF, curated large scale music festivals, and produced numerous musical theater productions. Hamza is also the creator of Pakistan’s first 32-piece ethnic orchestra as featured on the digital series ‘Braadri Broadcast’. Hamza has several music recordings to his credit including with rock band co-VEN, Zeb Haniya, and Coke Studio Pakistan.

SM Shahid

Advisor on Music

A renowned author and musicologist, music historian and music teacher, SM Shahid has been in pursuit of researching and documenting eastern classical music for several decades. His music publications include Classical Music of the Subcontinent, Great Masters - Pakistani Classical Music and other memorabilia on Classical, Folk & Ghazal Music, tributes to Mehdi Hasan, Tufail Niazi and Kamal Dasgupta. In addition to SM Shahid’s precious literary contributions to music he continues to hunt for talent, providing person coaching to select young prodigies, imparting his knowledge of eastern classical music.

Arsalan Pareyal

Academic Coordinator

A notable NAPA alumni, Arsalan Pareyal is an ethnomusicologist, music educator, jazz guitarist and rabab player. Arsalan has been selected several times for participation in international engagements at distinguished music institutions. Arsalan is skilled in both Eastern & western traditions of music.

Music Faculty

Bashir Khan

Tabla

A senior disciple of Mian Karim Bukhsh Pairna, Bashir Khan is an outstanding soloist and an internationally recognized Tabla Maestro of Pakistan. With countless recordings and live performances under his belt with classical greats such as Mehdi Hasan and Raees Khan, Bashir Khan is a living music legend.

Mehmood Ali Khan

Eastern Classic Vocals

Mehmood Ali Khan belongs to Gawalior Gharana of music which he learnt from his father the late Ustad Qadratullah Khan and his elder brother the late Ustad Zafar Ali khan. He has been teaching classical music for the past 30 years.

Philip Shahid

Piano

A high achieving alumni of NAPA, Philip is now a dedicated and passionate music educator with more than 20 years of teaching experience, Philp Shahid has been teaching & inspiring NAPA’s students of all ages and skill levels to discover the joy of music.

Julian Qaiser

Piano, Ear Training

A high achieving alumni of NAPA, Julian is a multi-skilled musician and music educator with almost 10 years of piano and related theoretical subjects teaching experience. He is skilled in both the Western and Eastern traditions of music.

Waqas Gulab

Tabla, Rhythm Ensemble

A star NAPA alumni, grandson of the late Ustad Gulab Khan, Waqas is a multi-skilled musician and Tabla virtuoso. He studied Tabla under the guidance of Ustad Bashir Khan. With local and internation teaching & performance experience under his belt Waqas is a valuable addition to NAPAs faculty.

Ghulam Murtaza Niazi

Eastern Classical Vocals

Ghulam Murtaza Khan Niazi (Shaheen), learnt classical music under the tutelage of the late Ustad Muhammad Umer Baloch for 15 years. Along with his 29 years of vocal teaching experience Murtaza Niazi is also a researcher and published author on Eastern Classical music.

Rahat Ali

Flute

Rahat Ali is the son and student of acclaimed Eastern Classical artist Ustad Inayat Ali Khan. Rahat later became a student of Flute Maestro Mohammad Ahsan Pappu. Rahat has performed and recorded flute music for numerous radio, television and film productions. Rahat has an ‘OS’ prestigious category listing by the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.

Gul Muhammad

Sarangi

A NAPA alumni, Gul hails from 7 generations of Eastern Classical music artists of the Hosyiarpur family Gharana. As the son of the great Ustad Akhtar Hussain, Gull is one of very few Sarangi players left in Pakistan. He has 12 years of music teaching experience.

Asad Hafeez

Guitar

Asad Hafees is a renowned guitar player who has been deeply involved in the Karachi rock music scene for decades. He has served as a touring artist for prominent performers & bands such as Atif Aslam, Najam Sheraz, and Aaroh.

Omer Jamil

Music Theory

Omer Jamil is a distinguished music educator and pianist with over 30 years of experience. With a degree in Music & Piano Performance from Knox College, IL, and specialization in pedagogy during his time in Vienna, Omer is also the first certified piano technician in Pakistan from the Chicago School for Piano Technology.

Notable Music Alumni
Singer songwriter, Irfan has made a name for himself in the current local pop music scene, releasing his debut album in Wakhi language titled ‘Nerew’.
Irfan Ali Bahadur
A Tabla player & percussionist most recently seen on Coke Studio videos and live tours.
Veeru Shan
A Tabla player & percussionist most recently seen on Coke Studio videos and live tours.
Sagar Veljee
Vocal:
  • Eastern Classical Theory
  • Western Classical Theory
  • Practical & Application, Singing
  • Practical & Application, Tabla
  • Practical & Application, Piano
  • Practical & Application, Guitar
  • Pitch Interval
  • Demonstratin & Performance
  • Rythm
  • Rythm Applications
  • Rhythm Advance Applications
  • Voice Training
  • Composition & Orchestration
  • Diction & Accent
  • Stage, Sound & Recording
Faculty:
  • Hamza Ali Jafri – Head of Music Department
  • Ustad Bashir Khan – Tabla Virtuoso
  • Ustad Mehmood Ali Khan – Vocals
  • Ustad Ghulam Murtaza Niazi – Vocals
  • Asad Hafeez – Guitar
  • Philip Shahid – Piano
  • Omar Jameel – Western Theory
  • Julian Qaiser – Piano/ Ear Training
  • Waqas Gulab – Tabla / Rhythm Understanding
  • Rahat Ali – Flute
  • Gul Muhammad – Sarangi
  • Arsalan Pareyal – Academic Coordinator
  • Zafar Ali – Instrument Technician
  • Stephen Javed – Apprentice Technician