Dance Classes

1. Kathak dance

Painting Classes

2. Drawing & Painting class

Music Classes

3. Classical Vocals
4. Tabla
5. Sitar
6. Bansuri (Bamboo Flute)
7. Violin
8. Guitar (Acoustic & Electric)
9. Sarangi
10. Keyboard

Children workshop Classes

11. Art & crafts workshop for children

Kathak dance

Category: Dance
Suggested Donation: 7500
Classes held on: Monday at 09:00 PM, Tuesday at 09:00 PM, Wednesday at 09:00 PM
Duration: 1 hour 15 min

Internationally renowned Kathak dancer Nahid Sidiqui is conducting 15 sessions of dance workshops for students age 12 & up. Basics of Kathak dance theory & practice, followed by discussions on the process and production of dance performance form the core structure of the workshop. Participants are awarded certificates at completion of course. The course is designed both for beginners and advance students of dance.

About instructor: Nahid Siddiqui is one of the finest Kathak dancer and choreographer in the world. Her work has been recognized and acclaimed internationally. She has personally contributed hugely to the growth of and accessibility to Kathak through efforts like starting classes at the Bharatya Vidya Bhavan in London and introducing Kathak into the curriculum at the at the University of Surrey. Nahid's creations have been original and ground-breaking blending traditional and contemporary techniques extending Kathak's repertory and developing it as a universal vocabulary. Nahid has lived in the West Midlands for almost twenty years and has had countless students, performances for major venues, festivals and television world-wide. Her work has received numerous accolades in Britain and around the world, including Pakistan's highest artistic merit. Nahid has been conducting dance class at Chitrkar since 2006.

 

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Drawing & Painting class

Category: Painting
Suggested Donation: 3000
Classes held on: Monday at 05:00 PM, Tuesday at 05:00 PM, Wednesday at 05:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

Learning to draw or paint is learning to meditate, see and feel the world in and around us. The ongoing studio class is conducted by painter Shahid Mirza. Portraiture and figure drawing with live models, exploration of different drawing & painting media, Portrait and still-life painting with oil /acrylic or water color are the focus of study. The method of instruction is one-to-one and each session is followed by discussion on art making.

Minimum age to register is 15+. Registration open.

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Classical Vocals

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 2000
Classes held on: Saturday at 05:30 PM, Sunday at 02:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

The classical vocal training is primarily voice training accomplished through time tested methods of  great musicians of the subcontinient. The students will be introduced to both Khyal & Dhurpad traditions of music making with emphesis on voice culture, understanding of Taal (traditional percussion system) and execution of complex musical concepts in Rags.

About instructor: Hafeez Khan Talwandi
The Talwandi gharana as represented in Pakistan by Ustad Muhammad Afzal and Ustad Muhammad Hafiz Khan constitutes a distinct and important tradition of vocal art-music, with special emphasis on Allap and Dhurpad.  The long years of learning, practice and performance have given Ustad Hafiz Khan a thorough command of the musical tradition handed down by his forefathers. Claims to the antiquity of Hafiz Khan's heritage is supported by the richness and internal logic of his body of knowledge and by his practical mastery.

More detailed article on Talwandi gharana of Punjab, http://web.ukonline.co.uk/richard.widdess/talvandi/talvandi.ascii.nodiacritics

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Recordings
1.  Raga Bhageshree (Alaap Kod Jhala) - Hafeez Khan
2.  Raga Bhageshree (Bandish) - Hafeez Khan
3.  Raga Jaijaivanti (Alaap Jod Jhala) - Hafeez Khan
4.  Raga Jaijaivanti (Dhrupad Bandish) - Hafeez Khan
5.  Lecture on Classical Music - Hafeez Khan Talwandi

Tabla

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 2000
Classes held on: Wednesday at 06:30 PM, Saturday at 05:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

The Tabla class will focus on developing a student’s understanding of theory and practice of “Taals” (traditional beats system) and learning to play as a solo performer as well as for playing in accompaniment with musicians. A Tabla primer (video) in Punjabi is prepared to assist students in learning history, technique and Ustad Shaukat Hussain style of Tabla playing.

About instructor: Wajid Ali learned Tabla from legendry Tabla player of Pakistan Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan. He started learning at a very late age of 26 years but spent 14 years with him and the lessons continued till the second last day of his teachers life. He teaches the baaj (style) of Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan and has dozens of students including the son of his teacher Raza Shaukat. Wajid Ali performs regularly both as soloist and in accompaniment with vocalist and instrumentalists. Renowned Harmonium player Mohammad Bakhsh assists him in class.

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Recordings
1.  Track03 - Bakshi Sahab - Wajid Ali
2.  Track04 - Bakshi Sahab - Wajid Ali
3.  Track02 - Bakshi Sahab - Wajid Ali
4.  Track01 - Bakshi Sahab - Wajid Ali
5.  Tabla Primer - Wajid Ali

Sitar

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 2000
Classes held on: Sunday at 04:00 PM, Monday at 03:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

The Sitar class is designed for both beginners and advanced students. Instruction is individual and tailormade for each student.

About Instructor: Saleem Khan Poonchwalay belongs to the renowned Sitar Gharana led by late Ustad Sharif Khan Poonchwalay. He has been awarded many prestigious honours for his services both as an outstanding performer and a music teacher for more than 30 years. Ustad Saleem Khan performs regularly on Pakistan television and Radio and various prestigious venues. Outside Pakistan he has performed at solo concerts in India, UK, USA, central Asian states and Far East.

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Bansuri (Bamboo Flute)

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 2000
Classes held on: Sunday at 04:00 PM, Wednesday at 04:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

The Bansuri (bamboo Flute) is one of the most ancient instrument of music making. Found all over the globe the Flute truly depicts a unifying image and universal appeal. The instruction is individual and students at all stages of learning are welcome.

About instructor: Khadim Hussain Haidri hails from Ludhiana, India where he received his earliest training in clarinet and bansuri from Ustad Rahim Baksh. He has been training students all his life and is recognized as one of the rare teachers who render classical compositions on flute. Due to his old age and health issues a senior student Mohammad Hanif conducts the class in his absence.

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Recordings
1.  Rag Bihag - Khadim Hussain Haidri

Violin

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 2000
Classes held on: Monday at 04:00 PM, Tuesday at 04:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

The six-month ongoing class is conducted by senior Violinist Mohammad Aslam Khan. The class is aimed at teaching to read & write music and basic technique of both westren & Indian classical style of Violin playing, depending on the personal preference of the student.

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Guitar (Acoustic & Electric)

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 1500
Classes held on: Sunday at 03:30 PM
Duration: 2 hours

The ongoing once a week Guitar class (Acoustic & Electric) conducted by Foaad Nizam is designed both for beginners and advanced students. The course will equip the student with basic theory & technique of Guitar playing and the ability to read & write music using staff notation system.

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Sarangi

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 1500
Classes held on: Friday at 04:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

Sarangi is an ancient instrument of music making. Its melodic sound is considered to be closest to human voice, the primary instrument of music making. It is played both solo and in accompaniment with vocalist & instrumentalists.

About instructor: Khawar Hussain belongs to the most ancient and renowned Punjab Gharana (family) of Sarangi players led by his uncle the legendry Nattho Khan and his father Bheero Khan. Khawar Hussain is amongst the very few Sarangi players left in Pakistan, he performs regularly both in accompaniment and as soloist.

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Recordings

Keyboard

Category: Music
Suggested Donation: 2000
Classes held on: Monday at 04:00 PM, Tuesday at 04:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours

The six-month ongoing class is conducted by senior Keyboard player Mohammad Aslam Khan. The class is aimed at teaching to read & write music and basic technique of both westren & Indian classical style of Keyboard playing, depending on the personal preference of the student.

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Art & crafts workshop for children

Category: Children workshop
Suggested Donation: 3000
Classes held on: Monday at 10:00 AM, Tuesday at 10:00 AM, Wednesday at 10:00 AMand Thursday at 10:00 AM
Duration: 3 hours

About workshop
Art education for children is accepted as a necessary component of educational ventures and for the promotion of art in society. In Pakistan facilities for fine arts, music and theater are virtually absent or minimal in the formal educational institutions, media and environment of Pakistani children. Art for children is not a privilege but a necessity to help them realize their native potential as creative human beings. The average Pakistani child suffers not only from the lack of artistic exposure but also from a more destructive assault of alien and mostly meaningless cultural entertainment delivered by the electronic and print media. At Chitrkar workshop painters, musicians and theater persons led by Huma Safdar & Rabia Nadir work with children to explore painting, music and theater that draw inspiration from our local environment and heritage.

 

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