LAHORE: The instrumentalists of the city have urged cultural institutions to frequently hold instrumental music festivals not only for the promotion of musical instruments, but also to save such music instruments which are on the verge of decline.

They say that earlier the PTV and radio used to hold programmes for instrumentalists, but now no such programmes are held. Only arts councils hold festivals occasionally, but the ratio of such programmes is less than the singing concerts.

Zohaib Hassan, Sarangi player, Naushad Ali, flute player, and Saleem Khan, Sitar player, said that though arts councils hold music instrument classes, what is needed is to promote instrumental music on a bigger scale and make it popular like singing concerts. They said that only the Lahore Arts Council holds such events; similarly, other institutions should also come up with such instrument performance festivals.

Sarangi players say the Sarangi is on the verge of decline and hardly four to five Sarangi players are left in the country; such music instruments should be promoted through festivals.

Naushad has been playing the flute for over three decades. He says that instrumental music festivals are the need of the hour.

`In the West, they often hold such festivals and the flute, to him, is the most affordable music instrument,` he said.

`Musicians and instrumentalists should also be given ample opportunity to perform singularly at such festival exclusively designed for the instrumental music.

The flute is a thousand of years old musical instrument, but not a single festival is organised to celebrate the popular musical instrument. He said the same goes for other traditional musical instruments.

The Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture will hold an instrumental music festival in the near future.

Director General Dr Sughra Sadaf told Dawn the institute will hold an instrumental music festival, especially on the musical instruments which are on the verge of decline.