Noor Zehra

Madam Noor Zehra Kazim is a Pakistani musician and Sagar Veena player. She is the daughter of lawyer and activist Raza Kazim who invented Sagar Veena - a stringed instrument similar to Vichitra veena and Chitra Veena.[1] Together with her father she runs Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy and Arts, and is the only performer of Sagar Veena since its creation in 1971. With a career spanned over four decades, she has performed both domestically and internationally, achieving critical appraisal for instrument, as well as her Indian style of music being a non-Indian.

Noor Zehra
Noor Zehra playing Sagar Veena
Background information
Birth nameNoor Zehra Kazim
GenresHindustani classical music, North Indian classical music
Occupation(s)Sagar Veena maestro, composer
InstrumentsSagar Veena
Years active1970–present
Associated actsNoori, Ali Kazim, Raza Kazim, Strings, Coke Studio, Rohail Hyatt

She made her Coke Studio debut in season 3 and returned in season 9,[2][3] as a part of team Noori.[4] She is the mother of Noori's lead vocalist Ali Noor and guitarist Ali Hamza.

Early life

Noor Zehra Kazim was born in Lahore, Punjab to a prominent lawyer, politician, philosopher and activist Raza Kazim. She is married to Ali Kazim who is a singer. She is the mother of Ali Noor and Ali Hamza of band Noori. Zehra Kazim together with her father, runs Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy and Arts, where the instrument Sagar Veena was developed, it is inspired by the Indian strings instruments, Vichitra veena and Gottuvadhyam.[5][6] Noor Zehra, taught herself while the instrument being developed at APA.[7]

Musical trainings and career

Zehra started her formal training during 1971, when she learns Rajeshwari Datta, head of the Indian Department at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) teaches similar instrument in London, England. Kazim then went to Berkeley, California in US, and studies at the Ali Akbar College of Music. In Pakistan she learn under Ustad Shareef Khan Poonchwala for a few years and established herself as the only Veena player of Pakistan.[8]

Noor Zehra has played the Sagar Veena for a number of audiences, and has even travelled to Japan and Norway for performances. Currently, she is still undergoing her musical journey, in which she eventually seeks to discover and create "Sanjan Sangeet". She regularly performs at Sanjan Nagar Sangeet Sammelan,[9] and performed at various music conferences, festivals and classical occasions.[10][11] She appeared in season 3 of music reality television series Coke Studio where she performed as a Veena Player with her son, along with musician Rohail Hyatt. In 2016, she returned to Coke Studio's season 9, under team supervisions of Noori and Strings (band) as a Sagar Veena player for the Song "Paar Channa De".[12]

References
  1. Zain, Ali (May 14, 2015). "9 wonderful inventions by Pakistanis that you've probably never heard of!". Daily Pakistan. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  2. "Coke Studio 9 artists list revealed". The News Teller. June 17, 2016. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  3. Rehman, Maliha (July 4, 2016). "Here's what to expect from Coke Studio 9". Dawn News. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  4. Sengupta, Arka (June 17, 2016). "'Coke Studio Pakistan' undergoes major revamp in Season 9; artiste line-up revealed". International Business Times. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
  5. Rabe, Nate (June 12, 2016). "Interview: Meet the Lahore lawyer, philosopher and activist who also invented a musical instrument". Scroll in. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  6. Ijaz, Saroop (September 29, 2014). "Herald Exclusive: In conversation with Raza Kazim". The Express Tribune. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  7. "Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy & Arts meet Noor Zehra the daughter of Raza Kazim and only Sagar Veena Player". Sanjannagar. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  8. "Picking up the Sagar Veena - the only maestro of Sagar Veena in Pakistan". bagc.zeerak. November 4, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  9. Ali, Sarwat (March 16, 2014). "Sangeet Sammelan, organised by Sanjan Nagar in Lahore, provided a rare opportunity to interact with Indian artistes". The News. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  10. Ali, Sehyr (October 11, 2015). "The All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) attracted music enthusiasts back to Lawrence Gardens' Open Air Theatre, after the event's seven-year long disunion from its pet venue". The News. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  11. Mehmood, Rafay (October 4, 2015). "Tehzeeb Festival 2012: Celebrating the sound of sarangi". The Express Tribune. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  12. Warraich, Faizan Ali (July 15, 2016). "Debut singers in Coke Studio 9 to bring change". The Nation. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
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