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Legendary Sufi Singer Abida Parveen Makes Rare Appearance in Toronto

Posted on February 25, 2016 at 12:35 pm

akm-logoLegendary Sufi Singer Abida Parveen Makes Rare Appearance in Toronto
Tickets On Sale Tomorrow for May 15, 2016 Performance

Toronto, February 25, 2016 – The Aga Khan Museum, in partnership with Roy Thomson Hall, is proud to bring Pakistani singer Abida Parveen to Toronto on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 8 pm for a rare North American performance. Held at Roy Thomson Hall, this performance gives Canadian audiences the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear Parveen’s extraordinary renditions of Sufi poetry, performed solo with accompanying musicians on the harmonium and percussion.

A master musician described by the Guardian as “the greatest female Sufi singer in history,” Abida Parveen has made waves in a musical form traditionally performed by men. Taught by both her father, the renowned Ustad Ghulam Haider, and by master Ustad Salaamat Ali Khan, she has amassed legions of fans in her over 40-year career, including multidisciplinary Icelandic sensation Björk.

For the Aga Khan Museum, the May 15 performance represents an exciting culmination of The Great Poets Series, a five-part series showcasing poets from Rumi to Khusrau through performers from Iran, India, Canada, and beyond. “When speaking of the arts of Muslim civilizations, it is impossible to separate music from poetry,” says Head of Performing Arts Amir Alibhai. “Nowhere is this more clear than in the music of Abida Parveen, whose repertoire is steeped in the words and imaginations of Sufi poets.” Alibhai adds that the Museum is “proud to be partnering with a world-class institution like Roy Thomson Hall. Making connections between cultures and through our partners in the arts community is extremely important to the Aga Khan Museum.”

Tickets ($50-$175) can be purchased online at roythomson.com, by calling 416.872.4255, or in-person at the Roy Thomson Hall box office (60 Simcoe St, Toronto). For more information about the Great Poets Series, please visit agakhanmuseum.org.

The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada has been established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The Museum’s mission is to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the contribution that Muslim civilizations have made to world heritage.

The Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall is a not-for-profit charitable organization operating two of Canada’s premier concert halls. The Corporation’s mission is to provide a world-renowned environment to showcase international artists and entertainment; to provide public space for the cultural and corporate communities of the Greater Toronto Area; to support the development of Canadian talent; to increase and enhance its worldwide profile as a leader in the arts community through its professionalism and programming.

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FOR PRESS INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT:
Jackie Koffman 
Holmes PR
jkoffman@holmespr.com 
416.628.5608 

Tasleem Somji
Aga Khan Museum
press@agakhanmuseum.org
416.858.8735