KARACHI: The Steering Committee on the re-recording of the National Anthem has unanimously resolved to ensure highest international standards of orchestration and vocal rendering for the official re-recording of the National Anthem, which was firstly recorded in 1954.
The Committee resolved to assemble a large choir of about 120 to 150 gifted vocalists from all 4 provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan as well Azad Jammu and Kashmir to make the new official recording truly representative and participative of the whole federation including religious faiths.
This was decided in the 4th meeting of the Steering Committee on the re-recording of the National Anthem, presided over by the Committee's Chairman, former Senator and federal minister Javed Jabbar, members include reputed musicologists Arshad Mahmud, Rohail Hayat and Nafees Ahmed, Director, Productions, ISPR Brigadier Imran Naqvi, film sector leader Satish Anand, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Shahera Shahid, Imrana Wazir, Director, Electronic Media and Publications in the Information Ministry and prominent persons associated with creative arts and education from the four provinces, held at the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi, according to a communiqué here on Sunday.
The first recording, which remained the only official recording was conducted in 1954. Over the past 60 years, there had been revolutionary changes to recording voices and music to provide optimal clarity and tonal accuracy while using digital technology.
Reviewing the distinctive quality of brass bands in the Pakistan Army, Air Force and Navy, it was also decided to make all efforts to utilize and further enhance the locally available instrumental capability of musicians while exploring the options for using the orchestras of friendly overseas countries, which had standing national orchestras to record only the instrumental version.
The vocal version would be rendered entirely by Pakistani vocalists. Despite possessing enormous talent in music, Pakistan neither had a permanent national orchestra unlike many other countries including Muslim countries like Turkey nor Pakistan possessed locally located most advanced sound recording facilities.
Expressions of interest had already been invited from film and video producers of Pakistan to provide proposals for the creation of the new video of a duration of one minute 20 seconds by featuring the new re-recorded sound version.
The Steering Committee noted the need to complete its task well in time to celebrate the 75th anniversary year of the Independence of Pakistan, which would occur in 2022. Aspects of preparatory and production logistics and costs were also discussed in detail. The Steering Committee was notified by the Federal government in June 2021 and later expanded to ensure maximum representation.