Hunza School Of Music

With great sorrow and deep grief, we've received the news that the renowned, highly respectable, and talented artist and musician, Muhammad Faqir, from Mominabad, Hunza Valley, has passed away 😔. The deceased was not only an exceptional artist but also a kind-hearted, sociable person with a passion for serving humanity. His music and art played a significant role in highlighting the region's culture, and he will always be remembered through his work. His demise is a great loss for the community and those connected to the arts, and it's irreparable. May Allah grant him a high place in His mercy, forgive him, and grant patience to his loved ones. Amen. انا للہ وانا الیہ راجعون

We are thrilled to announce that starting from 1st February, music lessons will be offered in Gilgit by the Hunza School of Music. The Hunza branch will also be opening soon.

Niaz Hunzai (born 1986)

Multi-Instrumentalist Artist

Born in the picturesque Hunza Valley, nestled among the majestic mountains of the Karakoram, Niaz Hunzai has always been drawn to music. Despite being differently-abled since birth, he never let his disability hold him back from pursuing his childhood dream of becoming a professional musician.

Growing up, Niaz spent his days wandering the mountains with his shepherd friends, carrying with him the flute he had made himself out of an old water pipe. It was during these travels that his passion for music truly blossomed, as he played the flute alongside the shepherds in the breathtaking natural surroundings of Hunza.

As he grew older, Niaz knew he needed to take his musical aspirations to the next level. He left the serene valleys of Hunza and headed to the bustling cities of Pakistan, determined to become a professional musician. There, he received formal training from some of the country’s best flute and rubab players, working tirelessly to hone his craft and become a master himself.

Today, Niaz is a skilled musician, proficient in more than 18 traditional and modern instruments. In addition to performing, he has dedicated himself to teaching and mentoring, sharing his deep knowledge and love of music with students at prestigious institutions such as LUMS, LACAS, and LGS.

His career has taken him to international stages as well. Niaz has performed at TEDx LACAS, and delivered multiple live performances and cultural collaborations in Spain and Tunisia. His presence at global cultural festivals has earned him recognition as a cultural emissary, representing the music and spirit of Hunza and Pakistan on a worldwide scale.

A landmark achievement came when he was featured as the inspiration and subject of a Spanish book titled "La Vall d'Hunza", written by Lurdes Boix Llonch, director of the Museum of L’Escala in Catalonia. This collaboration began with an exchange at the Fête des Bergers in the Semmama Mountains in 2023, where Niaz was invited as a cultural representative from Pakistan.

Aalijah Ghulam Uddin Ghulam Hunzai (1924–2020)

Born in Altit, Hunza, Aalijah was a renowned poet, scholar, linguist, educator, and the first-ever translator of the Holy Qur’an into Burushaski. He dedicated his entire life to spreading knowledge, establishing the first Diamond Jubilee School in Altit, and serving as Hunza’s first appointed Ismaili missionary.

Over five decades, he authored more than two dozen books in Burushaski, Persian, and Urdu, devising grammar and script for Burushaski and enriching it with devotional literature. His poetry and writings—covering Hamd, Naat, Manaaqib, Munaajaat, and mystical kalaam—earned admiration far beyond Hunza, even reaching Central Asia.

Honored by His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan and later invited by the Prime Minister of Pakistan (2007) for his Qur’an translation, Aalijah was celebrated as “Ustaad-ul-Asaatiza” (Teacher of Teachers).