Saira Peter’s musical tribute to Quaid-e-Azam at British Museum, London
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ISLAMABAD: British Pakistani Sufi Opera Singer Saira Peter presented national songs and cheered up the ceremony of unveiling commemorative bust of the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the historic British Museum.
The ceremony was hosted by the High Commission for Pakistan, London.
Established in 1753, the prestigious Museum is home to some of the most valued artefacts in the world. All of the items, whether, gold, diamond, bronze or stone, represent major human achievements from over the last millennia. They are on display before the whole world. The venue was visited by 6 1/2 million international visitors last year.
According to a message received here, the celebrations not only featured speeches calling to mind Quaid-e-Azam’s unique achievements, but music specially written for the event and performed by Pakistan’s Saira Peter Bsc (Hons) MSc MA (London), the world’s one and only Sufi Opera Singer.
Saira is singing four complex and beautiful compositions, including the brand new song, Unity Faith Discipline, specially composed by her vocal coach Paul Knight who is a disciple of Benjamin Britten, 20th century iconic composer.
Within this song guests heard the actual voice of Mr M. A. Jinnah, recorded when he spoke to a gathering of young people at Islamia College Peshawar on 14 April 1948.
The phrase ‘unity, faith and discipline’ took on a life of its own and became a motto for the whole country as it grew into its own new identity. Quaid lived out these values in his own life, showing others what it meant to be a disciplined man of faith and pouring himself out to achieve his vision of unity for the nation.
The lyrics of Saira Peter song was helped the audience understand the positive message of hope for Pakistan in the midst of the great challenges we face and appreciate the life and work of the founder of our nation in a way they perhaps never had a chance to hear before.
Saira paid glowing tribute to the founder of Pakistan with her specially written song- and then continue to sing other beautiful versions of three songs written in honour of the great leader- singing with gratitude for the freedom and independence he brought for the country.
There can no better way to commend the historical achievement of the Father of the Nation than to celebrate his memory in the heart of a city that helped to shape him and to accompany that with the soaring vocals of a young professional sufi operatic voice calling on the One who “Determines the destinies of the Nations”.
