Farhan Shah & Brothers with Shereen Ladha – Qawwali Music & Dance

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Farhan Shah (dubbed the Pakistani Pavarotti ) brings his amazing traditional Qawwali group to Brisbane together with dancer Shereen Ladha. Farhan Shah and Brothers is Australasia’s only professional qawwali performance group and was formed in 2017 to promote this unique world music genre and give regional audiences the opportunity to experience Sufi music in it’s high energy format. This is a form of music that is inspired by poetry that stretches back almost a thousand years.

Traditionally performed in Sufi ceremonies (Sama) in India and Pakistan, the music of Qawwali offers a light of inspiration, fanning the flames of divine love in the hearts of listeners. The poetry of Sufi mystics comes alive in passionate songs and dynamic rhythm presented in an ensemble format. Farhan Shah & Brothers offer audiences an entrancing musical experience rarely experienced outside of South Asia, North India and Pakistan. Qawwali is a blend of emotional powerful vocal layers, percussion, clapping, drones and melody often with an added treble instrument.

The ensemble is led by world-renowned singer, composer, music producer who critics have described as a “Pakistani Pavarotti” (Adelaide Advertiser 2019) Now based in Adelaide, Farhan has performed around the world for the last two decades as well as composing and producing music for feature films, dramas, documentaries, popular artists, anthems for festivals. He is adept at musical and cross-cultural collaborations and has received many awards and recognition for his work.

The group features a unique collaboration of Indian, Pakistani and Australian musicians (from historically divided countries, now joined together harmoniously) and featuring Chetan Ramlu a renowned and hard-hitting Qawwalli tabla player, Punjabi vocalists Mankul Sain and Sakura Raam Lal bring deep vocal richness to the call and response style of Qawwali singing and Ravi Madawan adds musical layers with his rich Harmonium playing. The group is further complemented by Keith Preston an experienced world music performer on the Kashmiri Santoor adding layers of melodic intensity and ambience to the Qawwali sound.

Farhan Shah has played a major role in facilitating cultural understanding between East & West, introducing audiences throughout the world to the immense beauty and power of Sufi tradition and culture. Performances with his Brothers offer a rare opportunity for audiences to gather and connect to devotional music and mystical poetry.

Farhan has performed internationally in Canada, the UK, Portugal, Pakistan, Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore and more, in diverse venues and festivals. Farhan Shah and Brothers have performed together in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Auckland, Wellington and Adelaide for various festivals and events including Demark Festival of Voice, Adelaide Festival Centre, Nexus Arts and forthcoming at the Woodford Folk Festival