The acclaimed Aga Khan Master Musicians took to the stage in the French capital for their latest live performance — one that explored the musical traditions and enduring legacy of the historic Silk Road. The evening was a poignant reminder of the power of music to transcend boundaries and foster harmony and understanding among diverse communities.
Luis Monreal, General Manager of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, welcomed guests and spoke of music’s role as a force that unites people and brings hope in the face of despair.
“We are living in dramatic times,” he said, referring to the violence marking many regions of the world. “We think of the women, men and children caught in this cycle of violence, we think of their suffering and pain for the loss of their loved ones and their desperate efforts to survive.”
“Music is an essential element,” Mr Monreal explained, “in recognising the contribution that different cultures have made to universal civilisation. This pluralism enriches us, bringing us together into a global world that we hope will one day be a world at peace.”
He thanked L'Institut du Monde Arabe for hosting the event, and offered a special mention for its President, Jack Lang, former Minister of Culture, Minister of National Education, and founder of the Fête de la Musique, now celebrated in many countries around the world. With an intricate facade adorned with geometric motifs inspired by traditional Islamic architecture, the Institute is a recognisable landmark in the French capital, and is a 1989 recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
“I salute His Highness the Aga Khan, who does so much around the world to promote creativity and preserve our heritage,” said President Lang. “It's always a great privilege for us to attend this concert, which brings together musicians of the very highest calibre.”
“Each musician has mastered his or her instrument to perfection,” he added, “offering us an exceptional soundscape between tradition and modernity.”
Guests at the concert included the Cultural Advisor to the President of France, representatives from the diplomatic corps, national and local government authorities, and leaders of French civil society. Also in attendance were the Ismaili Imamat’s Official Representative to France, Shamir Samdjee; President of the Ismaili Council for France, Aiaze Mitha; and other senior AKDN and Jamati leaders.
Hailing from Syria, Uzbekistan, and Tunisia, the five Aga Khan Master Musicians performed a mesmerising selection of compositions, evoking the sights and sounds of the historic Silk Road.. They included Basel Rajoub (saxophone and duclar), Feras Charestan (qanun), Jasser Haj Youssef (viola d’amore), Basma Jabr (vocal) and Abbos Kosimov (percussion).
“While the musical worlds of North Africa, the Middle East, Iran, and Central Asia represented in this evening’s concert certainly overlap in significant ways, they are also quite different,” noted Prince Amyn in his remarks at a post-concert reception. “Creating new music in which these different worlds meet harmoniously and without resorting to cliché is an admirable achievement.”
A network of ancient trade routes that spanned across Asia, Europe, and Africa, the Silk Road was a conduit for the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture between the East and West. Originating in China, the intricate web of caravan routes enabled the trade of silk, spices, and silver, fostering prosperity and cultural exchange among the diverse civilizations that flourished along its path.
The event coincided with the release this week of the Aga Khan Master Musicians’ debut album, titled Nowruz, produced by the Aga Khan Music Programme in partnership with Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
