March 1 Performance by Legendary Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan and His Sons in Amherst @ the UMASS Fine Arts Center Concert Hall
Celebrated sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and his prodigious sarod-playing sons, Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan, will be performing at the UMASS Fine Arts Center Concert Hall in Amherst, MA.. The day before the concert, Amjad will be conducting an Indian classical music workshop for students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The sarod is a stringed instrument that creates the sound that defines Indian classical music. Concerts by the Grammy-nominated Amjad Ali Khan ~ who celebrated his 50th anniversary U.S. tour last fall ~ joined by his sons and a pair of tabla (percussion) players captivate and transport audiences the world over, making the experience both entertaining and enlightening. Following Indian classical music precepts, no two performances are alike; the music is composed the day of the show based upon the mood and emotions of the artists as well as the energy radiated by the audience. Conveying the full range of human emotions using the 24 strings on the sarod, The Khans make the instrument sing, shout, whisper and cry with expressive vocal-like qualities.
The concert unfolds in three parts with Amjad Ali Khan, a sixth-generation musician taught by his father, occupying the spotlight during the first half. Then Amaan and Ayaan, disciples trained at the master’s feet, perform as a duo. Finally, the virtuoso joins his students in what becomes a spontaneous call and response lesson during which he leads; his sons respond to the challenging and progressively more complex riffs plucked on his sarod. This is an enthralling and exhilarating spectacle to behold live.
Together, The Khans have been performing around the world since 1996, visiting prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Kennedy Center and the Sydney Opera House. Highly respected, iconic and recognized as the foremost proponent of the ancient sarod, Amjad Ali Khan has been honored by UNESCO, UNICEF, World Economic Forum, the governments of India, France and Japan, and had Amjad Ali Khan Day declared by Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis in 1994.
For more information, please visit sarod.com.