LAHORE: The 60th annual five-day (Oct 22-26) All Pakistan Music Conference (APMC) in collaboration with Punjab Arts Council kicked off at Open Air Theatre, Bagh-i-Jinnah, on Tuesday.

A large number of music fanciers, singers, musicians and artists attended the inaugural night of the conference.

On Tuesday, students competed for Javed Ahmed Qureshi, Ghuzanfar and Wajid Ali trophies, Roshan Ara Shield, Jamil Mazhar and Mazari medals.

Executive Director Punjab Arts Council Saman Rai told Dawn that the council had extended full cooperation for the conference, which included new paint in the whole arena of Open Air theatre, repairs and proper lighting.

The council has aesthetically and tastefully decorated the venue for the music gala. Special arrangements were made for anti-dengue sprays. Stairs and alleys were lit up and new dustbins kept all over the venue.

Students participated in the conference with zeal and zest. They sang folk, Khayal and Kafi.

On Wednesday ( today), there will be a competition among amateur artistes for Hayat Ahmed Khan trophy, Ansaree, Abdul Aziz, Pervaiz Murad and Ahmed Meraj medals.

APMC Secretary General AMPC Ghazala Irfan told Dawn that this year classical singer Hussain Baksh Guloo would be given the lifetime achievement award at the conference with Rs100,000 cash award. “We have introduced a new ‘teaching and performance’ award which would be given to classical dancer Indu Mittha with a cash prize of Rs50,000.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2019