Classical Music of Pakistan

The classical music of Pakistan is based on the folk music of South Asia that was supported by different empires that ruled the area and gave birth to several genres of classic music which include the Klasik and Hindustani classical music. The classical music of Pakistan has two primary theories, sur (musical mote) and lai (rhythm). The systematic arrangement of musical notes into a scale is refers as raag. The organization of rhythm (lai) in a cycle is refers as taal. Improvisation plays a major role during a performance.

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The main genre of the classical music in Pakistan are khatal and dhrupad. Dhrupad does not longer exist in Pakistan in spite vocalists such as Ustad Badar uz Zaman, Ustad Afzal Khan and Ustad Hafeez Khan have managed to keep this art form alive. Khayal is the very renowned genre of classical music in Pakistan as is also enjoyed with much interest in Afghanistan.

There are many families that are from gharanas of classical music who inherited the music from their predecessors and are still performing. Some of the popular gharanas include Patyala gharana (Shafaqat Amanata Ali Khan belongs to thus gharana) and Qawaal Bacha gharana (Ut Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Rahat Fateh Ali khan belongs to this gharana. Numbers of other gharanas are still present in Pakistan who serves classical music. Some of the classical artists include Ut Badar uz Zaman do not belong to any popular gharana but has served extremely to classical music. The prominent sitar player known as Mohammad Sharif Khan Poonchhwaley belongs to Poonch gharana of sitar.

Tari Khan is a classical table player that is from Pakistan. Talib Hussain was last person that is remaining that plays pakhawaj in Pakistan and was known practitioner of the Punjab style.