17/06/2022
Zia ul Karim 💔💔💔
The artistic community and the people of Gilgit-Baltistan are mourning the loss of Zia-ul-Karim, a Musicologist who left us too soon. We knew him since our heydays in pursuit of learning music and forming bands, most of us followed other degrees as undergrads due to various reasons but Zia went on to complete a degree in Musicology with distinction from the prestigious National College of Arts in Lahore. In his thesis, he redesigned the traditional instrument of ‘Xhigini’ by making it possible to tune it to the common standards of music and to play it with a pick. He was a master trainer at Leif Larson Music School, which is a distinct musical school in Hunza Valley.
Zia was from the village of Altit in Hunza valley. The village has been home to some of the famous names in Burushaski poetic tradition. Late ‘Dado Hashim’ and ‘Dado Isa Khan’ are attributed with the use of ‘Xhigini’ in the Burushaski Qasidahs, some of their recordings have been passed down to us and they are a valuable addition to the archives of early devotional music of Hunza. They were followed by Indigenous Music Maestros like ‘Ustaad Abdul Karim Quttoshi’ well known ‘Suranae’ player and ‘Ustaad Fazal Karim aka Trangfa’ a ‘Damal’ player. In the latest wave of artists and musician, Altit has produced sensational artists like Irfan Karim, Niaz Hunzai, Islam Habib, Munir Hashmi Kashif Din and many More. Zia was from this line of musicians who had the privilege of university education.
The contributions of Zia to the musical developments in Gilgit-Baltistan can not be sufficed in words. He was a one-of-a-kind artist with musical education which is very rare in the region. After graduation, he came back to his hometown of Altit and took over Leif Larson Music School situated next to Altit Fort in Royal Garden. He introduced musical education to a selected number of students, he taught them music theory and practice. He was also in the process of developing a music curriculum for their classes. Furthermore, he trained students in different folk instruments and designed ensembles that were performed at various local and national events. The rigorous training and education polished the skills of student which is evident from their performances on national and international stages. In addition to the musical school, he also used to educate folk musicians and young enthusiasts about the significance of artistic folk traditions and how they can be presented aesthetically when blended with contemporary approaches .
Zia co-founded Jill Band along with some friends, it is a band from Hunza valley presenting folk and contemporary fusions and improvisations. Jill performed at various national events and was featured in coke advertisements as well. He was the managing director of Jill’s audio and video production house. In addition to that, he led a nine-piece ensemble band at Jubilee Arts at Lisbon-Portugal in 2018. He also had the honors of leading the same ensemble band to perform for the Ruhani family of His Highness Agha Khan in Karachi. He represented Gilgit-Baltistan at Dubai Expo 2022 along with three of his students from LLMC. He was also part of the coke studio anthem ‘Hum Ek Hain’. Most recently, he got selected for One beat virtual fellowship 2022 sponsored by the United States Department of states before his unexpected demise.
To conclude, words can not do justice to the humble personality and larger-than-life achievements of Zia-ul-Karim. He was a fellow artist, a musical prodigy, a son, a brother a music master, a performer, a visionary, and much more. His demise is not only a loss for the community of Altit or Hunza Valley, it is an irreversible loss for the undermined folk music of Gilgit-Baltistan. His vision for musical development and ingenuity cannot be reproduced anytime soon. He may be gone but he will forever live in our hearts through the moments we had, through the music we played together, and through the students, he taught.
May your soul rest in Heaven!
Gone too Soon
