Nationality Bangladeshi Spouse(s) Selina Azad | Occupation Composer | |
Azad Rahman is a Bangladeshi composer. He received a gold medal in 2011 from Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata.
Rahman joined Radio Pakistan (Dhaka Centre) in the mid 1960s and was appointed the first executive director of the (now defunct) National Academy of Performing Arts, was a principal of the Government Music College, and served as the director general of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy for two terms. He has provided music for films, radio and TV productions.
Career
Rahman was trained in classical music. As a music director, he set tunes to various songs for Bengali movies both in West Bengal and Bangladesh. His first movie as a music director was Miss Priyongboda (Kolkata). He made his own debut movie Goon Kotha and sang songs including "Dora Kata Dagh Dekhe Bagh Kena Jay," and "Bhalobashar mullo koto." He gave tunes to the patriotic song of Bangladesh "Jonmo Amar Dhonno Holo Maago" sung by Feroza Begum and later by Sabina Yasmin. He is a pianist, performing Indian classical ragas in his piano and traveling the world.
Rahman is one of the pioneers of Bangla Kheyal and has written lyrics for many raagas. These have been performed on BTV in the Dhrupodi program. He produced the first Bangla Kheyal LP in the 1980s and has also composed and sung Bangla qawwalis. He also played Hindustani raagas on the piano and released as an LP.
Rahman is the founder chairman of Sanskriti Kendra—Centre for Education, Creative and Performing Arts. This center has organized several international music festivals in Dhaka with participants from different countries. He is also on the faculty of Stamford University, Dhaka.
Rahman's wife, Selina Azad, is also a singer. The couple has three daughters.