From April 4–6, Khayal living legend Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, his sons, and their student Zeb Bangash embarked on a sold-out, three-city tour, captivating audiences in Queens, NY, Vienna, VA, and Chicago, IL with support through the Center for Cultural Vibrancy. Each evening began with Zeb Bangash making her Khayal debut.…...
CCV presents Ustad Naseeruddin Saami and sons with special guest Zeb Bangash
Ustad Naseeruddin Saami is a classical vocalist of rarely heard depth, power, and presence. He is a master of both khayal (which roughly translates to imagination) and qawwali, and the very last living practitioner of a mesmerizing and ancient 49-note microtonal vocal scale that dates back over 800 years. Join…...
Khayal as Cure: Transformative Music with Ustaad Saami & Sons, 2025 Residency Application
We are excited to announce the opening of applications for an exclusive 4-week apprenticeship with Ustaad Nasiruddin Saami and his sons, The Saami Brothers. This unique opportunity offers intensive 1:1 and group training sessions focused on the fundamentals of voice culture (finding your true singing voice) and an exposure to…...
The Sounds of Culture: 20 Years of the Richmond Folk Festival now streaming on PBS
What if you have a festival and no one comes? Jon Lohman, CCV executive director, poses that question in the recently released The Sounds of Culture: 20 Years of the Richmond Folk Festival, in response to the torrential rains that plagued the festival’s first year. Thankfully, the festival quickly weathered…...
