The Courtesan, the Memsahib, and the Hindustani Airs
| Date | Tuesday 3 February 2026 |
| Time | 13.00-14.00 GMT |
| Location | At the museum (Theatre) and Online (Zoom) |
| Speaker | Professor Katherine Schofield |
Join Professor Katherine Schofield to discover Lucknow’s vibrant musical culture. Learn about the famed courtesan Khanum Jan, who performed classical North Indian music and dance at the court of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula in the 1780s. You will understand how Khanum Jan regained prominence in the 20th century through her musical exchanges with Englishwoman Sophia Plowden, who documented many of her songs.
Professor Schofield will examine Plowden’s illustrated collection of Persian and Indian “Hindustani Airs,” along with melody notations by Plowden and Goan musician John Braganza. We will also learn how writings by Indian musicians and patrons reveal views of Europeans and their music, giving us a much richer understanding of Lucknow courtesan culture between late Mughal and early colonial patronage.
About the speaker: Katherine Schofield is Professor of South Asian Music and History and Head of the Department of Music at King's College London. A Fellow of the Royal Asiatic and Royal Historical Societies, and the recipient of major ERC and British Academy grants, she is the author/editor of three books, a keen podcaster, and has recently branched out into documentary film. Drawing on Persian, Hindi, Urdu and visual sources, she tells stories about musical lives that shed unexpected light on South Asian music, visual arts, and cinema; the history of Mughal India; Islam and Sufism; empire; and the intersecting histories of the emotions, senses, aesthetics, ethics, and the supernatural.
Take part at the museum: No ticket required, drop in on the day. Join us in the Theatre for this special talk.
Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum. Book a free ticket online to receive a Zoom link. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks only.
Ticket options
| Date | Tuesday 3 February 2026 |
| Time | 13.00-14.00 GMT |
| Location | At the museum (Theatre) and Online (Zoom) |
| Speaker | Professor Katherine Schofield |
Join Professor Katherine Schofield to discover Lucknow’s vibrant musical culture. Learn about the famed courtesan Khanum Jan, who performed classical North Indian music and dance at the court of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula in the 1780s. You will understand how Khanum Jan regained prominence in the 20th century through her musical exchanges with Englishwoman Sophia Plowden, who documented many of her songs.
Professor Schofield will examine Plowden’s illustrated collection of Persian and Indian “Hindustani Airs,” along with melody notations by Plowden and Goan musician John Braganza. We will also learn how writings by Indian musicians and patrons reveal views of Europeans and their music, giving us a much richer understanding of Lucknow courtesan culture between late Mughal and early colonial patronage.
About the speaker: Katherine Schofield is Professor of South Asian Music and History and Head of the Department of Music at King's College London. A Fellow of the Royal Asiatic and Royal Historical Societies, and the recipient of major ERC and British Academy grants, she is the author/editor of three books, a keen podcaster, and has recently branched out into documentary film. Drawing on Persian, Hindi, Urdu and visual sources, she tells stories about musical lives that shed unexpected light on South Asian music, visual arts, and cinema; the history of Mughal India; Islam and Sufism; empire; and the intersecting histories of the emotions, senses, aesthetics, ethics, and the supernatural.
Take part at the museum: No ticket required, drop in on the day. Join us in the Theatre for this special talk.
Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum. Book a free ticket online to receive a Zoom link. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks only.
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