All Pakistan Music Conference

All Pakistan Music Conference
Name	All Pakistan Music Conference
Abbreviation	APMC
Formation	1959
Founder	Roshan Ara Begum; Zohrabai Ambalewali
Type	Non-profit cultural organization
Headquarters	Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Location	Pakistan
Key people	Roshan Ara Begum; Ghulam Ali; Ustad Salamat Ali Khan; Mehdi Hassan; Farida Khanum
Focus	Promotion of classical and traditional music

All Pakistan Music Conference is a Karachi- and Lahore-rooted cultural institution founded in 1959 to revive and sustain classical and traditional music across Pakistan. It served as a platform linking performers from the South Asia region, including artists associated with Patiala Gharana, Gwalior Gharana, Khayal and Thumri traditions, and venues such as Alhamra Arts Council and Lahore Museum. The Conference influenced programming at institutions like Radio Pakistan, Pakistan Television Corporation, and fostered ties with conservatories such as National Academy of Performing Arts and NAPA.

History

The organization emerged in the late 1950s amid a post-independence cultural revival that involved personalities from Punjab (British India), West Pakistan, and émigré communities linked to Bombay, Karachi, Delhi, Lucknow, and Hyderabad (Deccan). Early meetings included maestros associated with Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Roshan Ara Begum, Faiyaz Khan repertoires and administrators with connections to All India Radio émigrés. The Conference staged concerts at historic sites like Lahore Fort and collaborated with institutions such as Aligarh Muslim University alumni and performers from Patna and Lucknow. Throughout decades it navigated political shifts involving leaders from Ayub Khan era to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s Pakistan, and continued activity during periods marked by policy changes after General Zia-ul-Haq and the reforms of Nawaz Sharif governments. International linkages included exchanges with musicians linked to London, New York, Karachi Conservatory alumni, and touring artists from Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Organization and Structure

The Conference is governed by a body composed of patrons, a managing committee, and artistic directors drawn from families of noted performers such as the Kasur-based Bachittar Singh lineages, the Patiala Gharana custodians, and musicologists connected to University of the Punjab. Administrative offices in Lahore coordinate with provincial cultural departments in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapters. Committees oversee programming, artist selection, archival work, and partnerships with media outlets like Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television Corporation. Funding historically combined patronage from business houses tied to Habib Bank, philanthropic trusts associated with Ibn-e-Safi-era collectors, and ticketed events at venues including Alhamra Arts Council, Quaid-e-Azam Auditorium, and private auditoria in DHA (Karachi) neighborhoods.

Performances and Genres

Concerts showcased a spectrum from Khayal and Dhrupad renditions to lighter genres such as Ghazal, Qawwali, Thumri, Dadra, and regional folk forms like Balochi music, Punjabi folk, Sindhi Sufi traditions and Pashto tappay. The platform presented instrumentalists steeped in Sitar and Tabla traditions, including Ustad Vilayat Khan-influenced sitarists, sarangi exponents connected to the Miraj Khan lineage, and harmonium accompanists trained in styles taught at Patiala Gharana ateliers. Performances often featured accompaniment by ensembles influenced by the orchestration practices of All India Radio and arrangements reflecting aesthetics associated with Ghulam Ali and Mehdi Hassan recordings.

Notable Artists and Alumni

Artists who performed under the Conference umbrella include vocalists and instrumentalists linked to major gharanas and institutions: Roshan Ara Begum, Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Farida Khanum, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ustad Bade Fateh Ali Khan, Salamat Ali Khan, Nazir Ali, Tufail Niazi, Iftikhar Hussain Khan-linked musicians, and tabla maestros influenced by Ustad Zakir Hussain’s lineage. The Conference also gave early platforms to artists who later joined ensembles affiliated with Pakistan National Council of the Arts and international festivals such as WOMAD and concerts at Royal Albert Hall-linked programs. Scholars and critics connected to Allama Iqbal studies and musicology departments at University of Karachi and University of the Punjab have chronicled alumni careers.

Educational and Outreach Programs

The organization runs masterclasses, workshops, and lecture-demonstrations with links to academies like National College of Arts and National Academy of Performing Arts. Guest instructors have included exponents from Patiala Gharana, Gwalior Gharana, and visiting artists affiliated with institutions in London, New York University, and the Juilliard School. Outreach extends to rural initiatives in Sindh and Punjab districts, collaborative projects with community groups in Karachi and Lahore slums, and student competitions that partner with youth wings of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation and conservatories such as NAPA.

Festivals and Annual Events

Annual conferences and festival series have taken place in major cultural venues including Alhamra Arts Council, Lahore Arts Festival stages, and temporary pavilions at city landmarks. Special commemorative events honor maestros associated with lineages like Patiala Gharana and memorial concerts have been staged for figures connected to Roshan Ara Begum and Mehdi Hassan. The Conference organized touring circuits that included performances in Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, and international showcases in cities with South Asian diasporas such as London, Toronto, and New York.

Category:Music organizations based in Pakistan Category:Pakistani classical music Category:Cultural organisations based in Lahore