Kokab Rashid: Vocalist, Performer and Music Teacher

Kokab Rashid: Vocalist, Performer and Music Teacher with a Strong Classical Foundation

Music has become more than a performing art for Kokab Rashid; it is also an area of teaching, research and continuous learning.

A vocalist trained in the Delhi Gharana tradition of Hindustani classical music, Kokab has developed his career around three important aspects of music—performance, education and musical exploration.

His first exposure to formal musical training came from his grandfather, Ustad Zafar Ahmed Khan, a Delhi Gharana sitar player. He later continued his training under Khalifa Late Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan and currently learns from Ustad Fareed Hasan Khan. His father, Ustad Rashid Zafar, has also guided him musically since childhood.

Kokab’s academic background includes a B.A. in Music (Vocal) from Hindu College, University of Delhi, and an M.A. in Music (Vocal) from the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Music from the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi.

His professional repertoire includes classical, semi-classical, Sufi and Bollywood music. He also actively creates musical content and explores contemporary arrangements, allowing him to approach different musical audiences while retaining his classical foundation.

Teaching has become another important part of his professional work. Kokab Rashid is currently associated with Melody Muse Academy as a Vocal Teacher, where he teaches students and works towards developing their musical fundamentals.

His approach to teaching is influenced by his own experience of learning music from an early age. He believes that students can be guided according to their interests while still receiving a strong musical foundation. For a student interested in classical music, the focus can remain on proper classical training, while students interested in other forms can also explore those interests with an understanding of the basics.

Alongside teaching, Kokab continues to perform at cultural events and musical platforms. His credits include the Global Literacy Festival, Jashn-e-Hind, Dilli Durbar, Chand Sangeet Festival and Jashn-E-Tehzeeb.

He is also a CCRT National Scholarship Holder in the classical category and the winner of BIG FM’s Big Golden Voice.

For Kokab Rashid, teaching and performing are complementary parts of the same musical journey—one allows him to express what he has learned, while the other allows him to pass musical knowledge forward.