The University of Kabul also has a Music Department, which teaches what it terms sharqi ‘eastern’ and gharbi ‘western’ music. ‘Western’ music seems to consist of the harmonisation of Afghan melodies, with the use of western notation. The University Music Department has plenty of western musical instruments, donated by well-wishers in the UK. At present the main instruments of use to the University are an electric organ and a Casio keyboard, for these are instruments that the lecturer in western music knows how to play. There is an urgent need to find teachers for the other western instruments, many of which were used in the past in Afghanistan, in radio ensembles and military bands.

By ‘eastern’ music is meant North Indian classical music. Here the situation is completely different. The Department has an excellent teacher of Indian and Afghan music who studied sitar for several years in Calcutta. He teaches instituation, harmonium and rebab, using the Indian sargam system of notation. There is also a tabla teacher. The Department is handicapped by having very few instruments at their disposal, and those they have are old and in need of repair.

The University is also a venue for concerts in the Auditorium, until recently used by the Taliban for its meetings. Now it has a very different use. On 23 October the German group Ata Tak gave a concert in the Auditorium, which seats 500. Two of the members played computers, the third, a young woman, played western drum kit. The venue was completely full, with many people standing at the back. After the German group an Afghan pop group played, a singer with electric keyboard, electric guitar, electric bass, conga drums and drum kit. A few days later there was a concert by a Korean popular music group which was apparently even better attended, and a third concert from a Spanish group was planned shortly after my departure.