Orchestral Qawwali Project and support

Bridging worlds, the Orchestral Qawwali Project (OQP) breathes new life into centuries-old traditions by seamlessly blending western classical and choral music with South Asian Sufi music (qawwali) and Indian classical dance. 

Led by critically acclaimed composer Rushil Ranjan and world-renowned singer Abi Sampa, OQP connects the emotional heartbeat of beloved Sufi poetry and qawwali music, popularized outside of South Asia through legends like the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, with the soaring soundscapes of western orchestral music to create a genre of its own.

Founded during the pandemic — and garnering international acclaim through their digital releases — the Orchestral Qawwali Project enthralled Celtic Connections in their first year of performing and have gone on to perform to sold-out audiences at London’s Roundhouse , Symphony Hall in Birmingham , and most recently the Royal Albert Hall , bringing thousands of new audience members to orchestral performances.