A sonic time portal from the ancient Hindu Kush to the modern era—Qais Essar is a contemporary Afghan composer, instrumentalist, and producer who channels his melodic designs through the rabab, a 2,500 year old instrument from Afghanistan. His new album Echoes of the Unseen is a sublime vision of contemporary Afghan classical music, challenging the perceived limitations of the rabab. In recognition that a living tradition is one that must be constantly renewed, Qais draws on the resources of his heritage to present a powerful vision of contemporary Afghan classical music. Qais has toured and performed extensively over the course of his career, including performances at The Kennedy Center, SXSW, Aga Khan Museum, The BBC, and Newport Folk Festival. During his upcoming Australian tour he will perform at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Recital Centre, as well as OzAsia festival and a string of concert halls across the country.