Our Vision
To communicate the creative power of our project by taking it beyond borders, breaking the barriers of silence to unite and to raise awareness as one global family; so we may respect and honor the interconnectivity and sanctity of all life without discrimination.
Our Mission
Our mission is to perform songs from the Muslim World, while training, and performing at the highest artistic level, through fostering individual development, collaboration and intercultural relationships.
History of Islamic Song
Music has been an integral component of Middle Eastern culture dating back to the simple sing-song recitations of tribal bards in pre-Islamic days. It was a powerful medium of expression by which all significant milestones in society were celebrated and commemorated. A community’s joys and sorrows, triumphs and tragedies, battles and victories have in some manner been proclaimed though the far-reaching power of music. It has artfully emphasized and embellished every event in man's existence. It was no different in the Hejaazi desert and beyond.
Islamic music is intertwined with mysticism and the worship of God- the “one ness” or the expression the term God means to the personal soul. Music was the mode of the expressing the Quran, which over time evolved into a distinct mode of recitation - Thajweedh. The embrace of music by Islam was act of personal devotion and worship that has the capability to draw, inspire and transform any listener, across cultural and other material boundaries.
The early whisperings of Islamic music can be seen in the works of renowned philosophers and poets throughout the history of Islam. The greatest of Islamic philosophers, theologians and mystics which include Ibn- al – Arabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn- Rusdh and Al- Gazzali, have all drawn inspiration from it, bridging the unknown with the known, the divine with the human, through music.
In contemporary times the greatest exponents of this soulful expression can be seen in the works Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the Sabri Brothers, Amjad Farid Sabri, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the Nooran Sisters, Jyoti and Sultana and A.R.Rahman among the many others.
Islamic Music today
In celebration of the rich heritage of spirituality with the aesthetic of the Muslim world, the ensemble shares with its audience musical arrangements ranging from Ghazals, Qawaalis, Qasidaahs, Naats, Hamds and Baiths.
Reflecting on the magnificent culture of the Muslims across the globe and their inherent connection with music, the traditions performed by the ensemble draw inspiration from the musical cultures spanning from the Middle East to Africa, South Asia and Europe.
Today, the initiative attempts to provide an opportunity to youth from all communities who possess the skill and draw inspiration from these traditions to showcase these talents to a wide and growing audience. The choristers comprise students, graduates and young professionals who have all come together for one aim - the celebration of Islamic spirituality through music.
