Master Jury Announced for 2025 Aga Khan Music Awards

The Aga Khan Music Programme has officially announced the Master Jury for the upcoming Aga Khan Music Awards 2025. The event is scheduled to take place from 20 to 23 November 2025 in London, in collaboration with the EFG London Jazz Festival.

Currently in its third edition, the Aga Khan Music Awards aim to honour outstanding musical talent across cultures influenced by Islam. The Awards highlight musical creativity, innovation, and tradition, while also promoting the preservation and revitalisation of Muslim musical heritage.

The seven-member Master Jury is composed of globally recognised figures in music, including performers, composers, educators, and festival leaders. “Together, and with complete independence, they will select winners of the 2025 awards,” who will share a prize fund of $500,000. Winners will also receive professional opportunities, such as recordings, commissions, and support for education and preservation initiatives.

The 2025 Master Jury includes:

• Divya Bhatia (India) – Festival programmer and arts consultant
• Sasan Fatemi (Iran) – Scholar of Iranophone classical and folk music
• David Harrington (USA) – Founder and violinist of the Kronos Quartet
• Zeyba Rahman (USA) – Philanthropy and global arts expert
• Oumou Sangaré (Mali) – Award-winning singer-songwriter
• Jordi Savall (Spain) – Renowned early music performer
• Ghada Shbeir (Lebanon) – Vocalist and music scholar

“We are thrilled that such a distinguished group of jury members will be selecting our 2025 prize winners,” said Fairouz Nishanova, Director of the Aga Khan Music Programme. “The Awards – and the Music Programme more broadly – have established a true community… that takes inspiration from music’s power to bring cultures together.”

Founded in 2018 by His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the Awards are part of a broader initiative to celebrate and preserve musical traditions that enhance spiritual and cultural life. Governed by an Advisory Council, the Awards are open to all, regardless of religion, race, gender, or age.

The Aga Khan Music Programme, established in 2000, continues to support musicians and music education in regions like Central and South Asia, North and West Africa, and the Middle East.

For further details, contact Mauro Silva at akma@akdn.org.