Presented by Small World Music and TO Live

Experience a thrilling fusion of Sufi poetry, Indian classical dance, and sweeping orchestral sound that’s redefining Sufi music for a new generation. 

Written and directed by critically acclaimed composer Rushil Ranjan, the Orchestral Qawwali Project features the soaring vocals of Abi Sampa in an effortless combination with rich orchestral arrangements and powerful chants. All of these elements come together seamlessly to truly encapsulate qawwali’s original intention—to lead the listener to spiritual rapture.

The Orchestral Qawwali Project stages a living dialogue between Sufi devotional tradition and Western symphonic form, inviting community pride and representation for South Asian and Urdu-speaking diasporas while opening classical institutions to new audiences. The performance’s call and response, spiritual elements, and shared release turn the concert hall into a space for collective reflection, sparking timely conversations about inclusion, cultural exchange, and who gets to see themselves on our biggest stages.

About the Artists: 

Led by composer Rushil Ranjan and singer Abi Sampa, the collective has blurred the lines between classical traditions to form something entirely new. 

Their debut independent single, an orchestral interpretation of the ancient Sufi poem “Man Kunto Maula,” was released in late 2020 and almost instantaneously struck a chord with audiences around the globe. This marked the beginnings of a globally and organically grown fanbase. Emerging from the pandemic, they made their orchestral concert debut alongside the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and conductor Clark Rundell, leaving the audience in Glasgow awestruck and on their feet and demanding an encore.

The following month, they were personally invited by the two-time Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman to perform with his Firdaus Orchestra in Dubai, the first of many collaborations with the maestro and his orchestras in Dubai and India.



Doors open 7:00 PM

The 2026 Small World Music Series is sponsored by TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment and funded by the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.