World Music Festival - Flute sings in the hands of Gazi Abdul Hakim

On the second day of Fête de la Musique, the festival celebrating World Music Day, prominent flutist Gazi Abdul Hakim performed solo at La Galerie, Alliance Francaise of Dhaka.

The ongoing ten-day music fest has been organised by Alliance Francaise of Dhaka (AFD) in association with Dhaka University, Classic Event Management and Gulshan Club. Professional and amateur musicians are performing at the festival every evening (till July 2).

With its outstanding melody, the bamboo flute — an essential wind instrument for the music of this subcontinent — occupies a pride of place. An inseparable part of Bengali folk songs, traditions and myths, notes of the bamboo flute touches many a heart.

Gazi Abdul Hakim can be credited with popularising the instrument far and wide. He is the only flutist to have performed at the House of Commons (in 1994). Hakim also played at the Commonwealth Summit in Canberra in 2001.

At the programme, highlights of Hakim’s performance were raaga based melodies, ‘dhun’ and interpretation of ‘thumris.’ Accompanied by apt playing of ‘tabla,’ Hakim entranced the audience throughout the nearly two-hour programme.

A twelve-minute rendition of a ‘dhun’ based on a ‘bhatiali’ tune kept the audiences spellbound, and they wanted more from the accomplished artiste. Upon repeated requests, Hakim started performing raaga ‘Chandrakosh.’

Hakim has developed a style of his own when playing the instrument. He has developed a proportionate synthesis of classical, western and traditional forms.

This evening, students of Ecole de Musique, a project of AFD, will take part in a programme. The programme will highlight performances of classical guitar, piano, violin and cello. Students will interpret works of the maestros such as Mozart, Beethoven and Bizet.