“The seminal metal band Metallica and the Afghanistan National Institute of Music and its founder/director Dr. Ahmad Sarmast have been named the Laureates for the 2018 Polar Music Prize, to be presented by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden on June 14,” writes Fred Bronson in Wednesday’s (2/14) Billboard.com. “The announcement was made Wednesday … morning at Stockholm City Hall by Alfons Karabuda, chairman of the Polar Music Prize award committee…. Dr. Sarmast founded ANIM in Kabul in 2010 in response to that country’s civil war destruction of centuries of rich musical tradition. In the 1980s the pop music and film industries were thriving in Afghanistan, with hundreds of ensembles and a national radio orchestra playing Western and Afghan musical instruments. Between 1996 and 2001, music was completely banned….. ANIM has been providing a challenging and safe learning environment for all students…. The institute has a special focus on the most disadvantaged children in Afghanistan, including orphans, street vendors and girls…. Previous winners of the Polar Music Prize include Sting, Elton John … Renée Fleming, Pink Floyd … Yo-Yo Ma … The prize is traditionally given to one person from the pop world and one from the classical or jazz genre.”
Posted February 14, 2018
