Yes, it’s true – the Afghan National Institute of Music offers classical music concerts, and once again, the House of Flowers is grateful to Kevin Avers and the New Rotary Club of Kabul for their efforts to take the children to two concerts. Here was the invitation:

On behalf of Dr. Ahmad Sarmast, Founder and Director of Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM), operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan, it is my pleasure to invite you to the third concert of the 4th Annual Afghanistan Winter Music Academy, this Wednesday, January 8, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. at ANIM. 

 The concert will feature guest artists including Camilla Dayyani, singer; Colin Davin, guitar; Rebekka Angervo & Jessie Huang, piano; Marc Uys, violin; and Johan Krarup & Gjilberta Lucaj, cello. The eclectic program will feature everything from a Vivaldi Guitar Concerto to a raga performed in collaboration with ANIM’s rubab and tabla teachers (Us. Rameen and Us. Fraidoon) to the first performance in Afghanistan of the Finnish series of piano concerti entitled “Happy Animal Pictures,” featuring one of our youngest pianists, Aziza.

 Kevin and his friends took the boys of the House to one concert, and the girls to another. Here’s what he had to say about it: 

“Ibrahim (from my house) collected the boys at 4 and took them over to ANIM. I arrived a few minutes after. We went into the concert room and had a discussion about the program, before settling down for the start which came quite promptly at 5:30.

Even though this evening’s program featured mainly piano and strings and was very classical, I think the boys found it quite intriguing and had a good time in general.”

Here are some pictures. The boys are sporting some new jackets as well, it seems!