TRADITIONAL music from Afghanistan’s court and folk traditions will take centre stage in Salisbury next month.

An Afghan Musical Evening will be held at Salisbury Arts Centre on April 4 at 6pm, bringing together three internationally experienced performers.

The concert will feature John Baily on rubab and dutar – two types of Afghan lute – alongside vocalist and daireh (frame drum) player Veronica Doubleday, and tabla player Sulaiman Haqpana.

The programme will include instrumental pieces and songs drawn from both classical court and folk repertoires.

During the evening, Veronica will introduce the instruments and explain the context and meaning of each piece, offering audiences insight into Afghanistan’s rich musical heritage.

Between 1973 and 1977, John and Veronica lived in Herat, western Afghanistan, where they studied with local musicians and carried out detailed ethnomusicological research.

John later became Emeritus Professor of Ethnomusicology and Head of the Afghanistan Music Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. He has written several books on Afghan music.

Veronica is the author of the memoir Three Women of Herat and other publications exploring Afghan women’s music.

As a duo, and in collaboration with other Afghan musicians, the pair have performed internationally.

Sulaiman, who comes from a Herati family, learned tabla in Pakistan after his family migrated there in the 1990s.

He has seven years’ professional experience working with the United Nations and international non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan and has recently completed a doctorate at Brunel University’s Department of Education.

Sulaiman has previously performed at venues including the British Museum, SOAS University, the House of Commons and Oxford’s Holywell Music Room.

The concert will conclude with a short question-and-answer session, giving audiences the opportunity to learn more about the music and its cultural background.