Shikwa – “A Symphonic Poem”: The Composers’ Fund
Shikwa – “A Symphonic Poem”
Rushil Ranjan is a London-based composer, producer and singer-songwriter. His work across contemporary, Sufi and classical music has earned him a reputation as one of the most distinctive and exciting musical voices around today.
As a classical-crossover composer, Rushil’s work has been performed by orchestras and artists around the world including the SCO, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan the Firdaus Orchestra. Having recently begun an artistic partnership with the Manchester Camerata, Rushil unveiled his debut composition for the orchestra, a groundbreaking symphonic poem titled “Shikwa.” Crafted in collaboration with prolific classical singer, Abi Sampa, the innovative piece seamlessly merges diverse musical traditions evoking profound emotional and spiritual resonance.
Rushil is also the progenitor of the Orchestral Qawwali Project, a critically acclaimed musical duo that reframes the spiritual rapture of Sufi music through its orchestral scores. Since its debut in 2020, the Project has consistently sold out concert halls worldwide where Rushil’s pioneering scores have not only garnered widespread acclaim but have also earned recognition from industry luminaries such as AR Rahman.
An accomplished composer for film, Rushil has scored award winning films for Netflix, ITV, and Film 4. His most recent work includes scoring the BAFTA-nominated documentary “Always Asifa.”
Together with the support of the PRS Foundation and the Manchester Camerata, composer and artist Rushil Ranjan will now tour and perform his new work “Shikwa.”
The piece is the world’s first ever Urdu symphonic poem and takes it’s textual basis from Sir Allama Muhammed Iqbal’s legendary and controversial poem of the same name. It is characterised by powerful imagery, evocative language and a deep sense of pathos. As relevant now as when it was first penned in 1909, Iqbal’s words address God directly, voicing the collective grievances and disillusionment of the Muslim world with its state of affairs.
Broken up into 6 movements, the piece is written for voice, esraj, tabla and orchestra. It will be performed by Rushil’s long-term collaborator and prolific classical singer, Abi Sampa as well as the pioneering Manchester Camerata.
The work is the first of it’s kind and showcases Rushil’s unique ability to seamlessly and compellingly bring to bring together different musical worlds to create something brand new. It also marks the beginning of an artistic partnership between Rushil and the Camerata that will look to create more groundbreaking orchestral work in the coming years.