First Afghan women’s orchestra tries to change attitudes
KABUL — Afghanistan’s first — and only — all-female symphony is trying to change attitudes in a deeply conservative country where many see music as immoral, especially for women.
The symphony’s two conductors show how difficult that can be, but also how satisfying success is.
One of them, Negin Khpolwak, was supported by her father when she joined the Afghanistan National Institute of Music and then became part of its girls’ orchestra, called Zohra. But the rest of her family was deeply against it. Her uncles cut off ties with her father.
“They told him he is not their brother anymore,” said Khpolwak, now 20. “Even my grand-mother disowned my father.”