Muslim Shaggan (PAK)
Muslim Shaggan (PAK)
In 2023, Ustad Noor Bakhsh, the elderly Pakistani musician and master of the Balochi keyed zither called the benju, gave a memorable concert at the House of Music during one of the first foreign performances of his life. The ethnomusicologist who discovered him, Daniyal Ahmed, then began releasing similarly spellbinding musicians through his label called Honiunhoni. His latest discovery, Muslim Shaggan, is now coming to the House and will give a free concert on our Outdoor Stage. Traditional and classical Hindustani songs, a family musical heritage of more than five hundred years, captivating vocals accompanied by harmonium, and two additional musicians. A one-time, unmissable experience.
Muslim Shaggan will arrive with two musicians: Asher Shezad on tabla, and his producer-label head, Daniyal Ahmed, will join the concert on wind instruments. They will perform material from his debut album, Asar, released in 2025.
Muslim Shaggan is a singer-musician from Lahore, Pakistan. His vocal technique is refined, yet sensitive and gentle. His versatile musical world has been shaped by the encounter of various historical traditions. His lineage can be traced back to Bhai Mardana (1459–1534), the Muslim musician companion of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. This Rababi musician family later adopted the gwaliori style of Hindustani vocal music.
Muslim was taught by his grandfather, Ustad Ghulam Hassan Shaggan, one of the finest exponents of this style, who carefully prepared him from the age of 7 to carry on this centuries-old tradition. Today, Muslim is one of Pakistan’s most outstanding classical singers of his generation. He performs regularly at the country’s most important classical music festivals and venues, as well as on radio and television. In addition to his distinguished performance in the Khayal genre, Muslim is versed in many other South Asian musical styles, including contemporary and folk currents. His musical experiments are based on traditional knowledge, yet are not constrained by strict methodological frameworks.
Asar, which will also be released on vinyl in 2026, is a collection of raw recordings made in three different acoustic spaces: a room, a courtyard, and a park. Muslim’s singing is accompanied solely by his own harmonium and tanpura, along with the sound of Karachi’s evening breeze and birds.
Muslim’s debut album reveals the subtle musical nuances that a thoroughly trained classical singer brings into other genres. The seven tracks on the record span several genres of South Asian musical traditions, including the geet, ghazal, thumri and kafi styles. Asar aims to transport the listener back to the moment of recording — as if you were sitting right in front of Muslim, and the singing were meant exclusively for you.
Dear Visitor, We kindly inform you that during the event, photographs, audio recordings, and/or video recordings may be taken. By attending the event, you consent to the recording of such materials through your implied conduct.
Covered Open-air Stage concerts
The program will be held even in rainy weather, as the Open-air Stage is largely covered.
