Lahore: Pakistani singer Asim Azhar has announced that students from Lahore's Surtaal Music Academy will open his concerts during the Pakistan leg of his Asim Ali Tour, giving the children an opportunity to perform before a concert audience for the first time.

Azhar made the announcement during a visit to the academy, sharing the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday, November 3, while surrounded by the students. The young musicians are scheduled to perform at three concerts between November 6 and 8, before the singer continues his tour abroad.

The announcement follows an invitation from the academy's students, who had earlier posted a video performing Azhar's song Meri Zindagi Hai Tu, the title track of the television drama of the same name.

During his visit, Azhar joined the children in performing his songs Khabbay Sajjay and Jo Tu Na Mila. In videos shared on social media, one of the students accompanied the performances on the harmonium while others sang alongside the artist. The visit gave the students an opportunity to perform with Azhar before joining him on stage during the tour.

The academy subsequently confirmed the collaboration through its Instagram account, announcing that the Surtaal Kids Band would be part of the Asim Ali Tour. The arrangement will allow students who have been developing their musical skills at the academy to perform for audiences outside the classroom.

Surtaal Academy attracts visits from musicians

Azhar is among several performers who have visited the Lahore academy in recent days. Actor and singer Amar Khan also spent time with the students, joining them in performing Punjabi songs, including Ajj Kala Jora Pa, which she previously performed on the television programme Mitti De Baway. Singer Natasha Baig visited the academy and performed qawwali associated with the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan alongside the students.

Norwegian musician William Gamborg also joined the children for a performance of Alfaaz, a song by Hamza Malik and Zain Zohaib. A video of the performance circulated on social media, drawing attention to the students' musical activities. The visits have provided the academy with opportunities to introduce its students to musicians working across different genres.

Asim Ali Tour dates and venues

The Pakistan leg of the Asim Ali Tour will begin in Faisalabad on Friday, November 6, followed by performances in Lahore and Islamabad. According to Azhar's official tour schedule, the concerts will take place at the following venues:

Following these performances, Azhar will travel to the United States for concerts in cities including Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Syracuse and Los Angeles. His international schedule also includes performances in Canada before he returns to Pakistan for a concert at the Arts Council of Pakistan in Karachi on December 25.

The decision to include Surtaal's students in the tour provides an example of how musicians can use concert platforms to introduce performers who have yet to establish professional careers. For the children, opening the concerts will involve performing before audiences, working within a concert schedule and gaining experience of stage production.

Such opportunities can help bridge the gap between music education and live performance, particularly for students whose exposure has largely been limited to training sessions and social media videos. The collaboration also reflects the role of digital platforms in connecting emerging performers with established artists.

In this case, the students' invitation through an Instagram performance led to Azhar visiting their academy and subsequently including them in his tour. The children are expected to make their concert debut in Faisalabad on November 6, with further appearances in Lahore and Islamabad over the following two days.