🎶 Raag Masterclasses with Ustaad Urooj Saami & Ustaad Rauf Saami 🎶
An intimate invitation to listen, learn, and be transformed

After the deeply moving Khayal Residency with the Saami family, we’re honored to open the doors to a new series of Raag Masterclasses — a rare opportunity to learn directly from Ustaad Rauf Saami and Ustaad Urooj Saami, torchbearers of the living Khayal tradition.

✨ First in the Series: Raag Aiman ✨
We begin with Raag Aiman, a luminous and beloved evening raag that evokes peace, devotion, and emotional clarity. Whether you’re just starting your musical journey or returning to it, this session will meet you where you are. Upon registering, participants will receive a guide to the class flow, along with verses of poetry—aastahi, bandish, thumri, and ghazal—in Raag Aiman, each adorned with transliteration, translation and any other tips that the Ustaads may offer.

These masterclasses are open to all backgrounds, ages, and experience levels — no training or language knowledge needed. Just come with openness and a love for sound.

📅 First Class: June 25th
🕖 Time: 7:00–9:30 PM
📍 Location: Gibney Dance Studio – 280 Broadway, Studio Y, Manhattan, NY 10007

This is the first in an ongoing series — future sessions will explore different raags and continue to deepen this living practice. Details for upcoming classes will be shared soon.

This offering is presented in collaboration with the Center for Cultural Vibrancy (CCV) — an organization committed to supporting master artists and sustaining traditional arts in meaningful, community-rooted ways.

✨ Space is limited — reserve your spot and be part of this rare and intimate experience.

MEET YOUR USTAADS

Ustaad Muhammad Rauf Saami and Ustaad Urooj Saami:
Ustaads Rauf and Urooj Saami are accomplished vocalists, Khayal practitioners, and lead members of the Saami Brothers Qawwal—the humble custodians of the classical traditions of Qawwali and Khayal as passed down from Hazrat Ameer Khusrau and Ustaad Taanras Khan Sahab. As sons and disciples of the critically acclaimed Maestro Ustaad Naseeruddin Saami, they are well-versed in several eastern classical forms, especially Khayal, and are currently performing together as part of a Riwayati (traditional) Qawwali group.

Both brothers were born into the Qawwal Bachha Delhi Gharana, a lineage with an unbroken oral tradition that stretches back over 800 years to Saamat Bin Ibrahim, a principal disciple of Hazrat Ameer Khusrau. This rich heritage has shaped their lifelong dedication to the preservation and perfection of this sacred musical form.
From an early age, Rauf and Urooj Saami were immersed in the deep study of classical music under the guidance of towering figures such as the late Ustaad Munshi Raziuddin Ahmed Khan and their father, Ustaad Naseeruddin Saami. Their maternal grandfather, Munshi Raziuddin Qawwal, was an internationally renowned Qawwal and is honored with one of the five main roads named after him in the “Qawwali Lane” of Karachi’s Garden District.

As torchbearers of this legacy, the Saami Brothers Qawwal are devoted to the classical tradition of Qawwali and Khayal. They adhere strictly to a purist approach, preserving the original forms with reverence and allowing only subtle refinements, rather than major innovations. Through this commitment, they offer modern audiences a rare and authentic window into the depth and discipline of traditional South Asian music.

Fluent in multiple languages—Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Farsi, and more—their performances reflect the pluralistic, inclusive spirit of their art. In every performance, they embody a message of tolerance, unity, and devotion, inviting listeners to connect across time, language, and lineage to the Divine.

For more information, reach us at nermeen.arastu@gmail.com with questions and promo code for students.

Ruh-e-Fun

Ruh-e-Fun

Ruh-e-Fun