A Master of the Rabab
Qais Essar is an internationally acclaimed rabab virtuoso, award winning composer, and cultural innovator whose work bridges ancient Afghan musical traditions with contemporary global expression. Widely recognized for expanding the expressive and technical possibilities of the Afghan rabab, Essar has helped elevate the instrument from a heritage context to a modern, international voice.
Essar has performed at prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including the Sydney Opera House, the Kennedy Center, and major international festivals across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. His performances are known for their emotional depth, technical mastery, and meditative intensity, offering audiences a rare synthesis of ancient musical language and modern sensibility.
As a composer, Essar has released multiple critically acclaimed albums and collaborated across genres and cultures. His music has been featured extensively in film and television, including the Academy Award–nominated animated feature The Breadwinner, the Academy Award–nominated documentary Three Songs for Benazir, and the BAFTA nominated film Yellow, among numerous other international productions. His work for screen spans feature films, documentaries, and television, where his distinctive sound brings intimacy, cultural resonance, and emotional nuance to visual storytelling.
Essar’s work has received international press and recognition from outlets including Rolling Stone, NPR, PRI, The Hindu, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Noisey. Beyond performance and composition, he is committed to cultural preservation, cross-cultural collaboration, and the continued evolution of Afghan music within a global context.
Today, Qais Essar stands as one of the leading voices in contemporary world music—an artist dedicated not only to preserving the legacy of the rabab, but to ensuring its future as a living, evolving art form.