The World's First Polyphonic Nasheed Choir

--- We love to sing ---

The Nasheed Choir came together for the first time at the end of July 2019 to learn vocal technique and choral singing. Working over the summer and culminating in a performance of the world's first polyphonic Nasheed choir at Burnley Mechanics in September 2019. The Nasheed Choir group has ambitious plans to expand the group and extend their reach and scope over time.

Julian Evans and Hussnain Hanif met in Brierfield in September 2015, working on a project by US artist Suzanne Lacy to create a mass participation artwork with the people of Pendle at Brierfield Mill 'SHAPES OF WATER, SOUNDS OF HOPE'.

Together Jules and Hussnain worked up an idea to combine their two creative disciplines and, with Super Slow Way, brought together a group of young people to present Nasheed as a polyphonic choir. At the end of July 2019 the group started to learn vocal technique and choral singing for the first time. Rehearsing once a week over the summer, The Nasheed Choir made its first public appearance at Burnley Mechanics on Sunday 22nd September 2019. On Sunday 28th November 2021 the choir performed at the Whitworth Gallery at the preview of Suzanne Lacey's 'What Kind of City?'

Both Pendle residents themselves, Hussnain is a Nasheed exponent and Julian is a composer and choral director in the western tradition. He was excited by the harmonic possibilities of Nasheed and how they might inspire his own practice.

If you are interested in joining our Nasheed choir, or know anyone who might be, please contact us.

Nasheeds, devotional songs of love and praise, are fundamental to British Asian culture. South Asian music features complex rhythm and melody but no harmony. The Nasheed Choir brings Western harmony to this essential practice in a cross cultural collaboration through music in local schools.

Working with the Lancashire Local Cultural Education Partnerships and local schools, The Nasheed Choir project enables local communities to engage with Islamic and Western musical traditions in a new way.

The Nasheed Choir delivers online resources and in-person workshops to provide an accessible programme for individuals or groups in schools and communities. As a low cost, high value resource, it allows many more participants and audiences to develop and appreciate this new form of singing, established in a high quality, sustainable Nasheed Choir that embodies cultural integration and embeds Nasheed in the local curriculum.