Beyond Barriers

“Every year,I do a series of concerts around Abba’s death anniversary,which falls on Feb 3. Sometimes I am joined by brothers Taufiq and Zakir Husain too,” said Qureshi,who has also composed for films,including Dansh. “I play every rela that was Abba’s favourite,besides,what the audience demands,” said the tabla player,who began his performance at the Bhartendu Natya Akademi on Sunday with a lehra in Raag Maand.

“Our sister Khurshid in London holds concerts to celebrate Ustad Allahrakha’s birth anniversary in April. When artists like Shiv Kumar Sharma,Amjad Ali Khan,Hariprasad Chaurasia along with a number of artists from Pakistan and doyens of western classical music from Europe come together to perform,all hate campaigns based on religion and nationality are reduced to laughing stock. Music is doubly blessed,as it brings the player and listener together like few other binding forces can,” said Qureshi,excited about his first visit to Lucknow,flaunting his day’s purchase,a crisp,white chikan kurta—something he was as proud of as he was of the contribution to tabla art of Sheikh Mohammad Ibrahim of Unnao,whose troupe began the concert with a mellifluous and pulsating ‘taal kachehri’.