Ustad Amjad Ali Khan
"Music should be felt and conceived. It can be enjoyed
without being understood."
Today, Amjad Ali Khan is one of the most distinguished
and successful musicians in the world of Indian classical music. His name
has become synonymous with the Sarod and his unique style of playing has
made the instrument far more appealing to a wider audience throughout the
world.
He is the son and disciple of the legendary Hafiz Ali Khan. He hails from a family of distinguished
musicians who invented the Sarod, the present day modification of the
ancient Rabab( An Afgan Folk Instrument).
Today, he shoulders the sixth generation inheritance of the 'Senia
Bangash School' which traces its roots to the to great Mian Tansen.
Amjad Ali Khan has undoubtedly added a new dimension to the repertoire
of the Sarod. Within the discipline of classical tradition, his
innovations have created change in the styles and technique and breathed
a new life into an ancient form.
In the matter of awards, Amjad Ali Khan has the privilege of winning the
kind of honours and citations at his relatively young age which, for many
other artistes would have taken a lifetime.he has represented India in the
first World Arts Summit in Venice, received Hon'ry Citizenship to the
States of Texas, Massachusetts and Tennessee. Yet, this maestro remains
indifferent to the elitism many artistes often favor when they touch
dizzying heights of fame and popularity.
Despite having the honour of
performing at some of the most prestigious concert venues in the world
with some very well known artistes in the international field of music.
Amjad Ali Khan adheres to the principle that, "One need not be equipped
with theoretical knowledge of music nor is there a need to be awe-stuck.
The uninitiated can respond as well as the experts to the melody, the
combination of notes and the beauty of the ragas." His collaborations
include a piece composed for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra,
duets with Charley Byrd, Igor Frolov, Glenda Simpson and Barry Mason.
He has been a visiting professor at the Universities of Yorkshire and
New Mexico. In addition, one of his recent CDs titled 'Bhairav' had been
voted among the best 50 classical albums of the world for the year 1995,
by BBC Magazine.
In his case, the term 'beauty of the Ragas' acquires a special meaning as he has to his credit the distinction of having created many new Ragas. It is love for music and his belief in his music that has enabled him to interpret traditional notions of music for a new refreshing way, reiterating the challenge of innovation and yet respecting the timelessness of tradition. His collaborations include a piece
composed for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, duets with Charley
Byrd, Igor Frolov, Glenda Simpson and Barry Mason. He has been a visiting
professor at the University of Yorkshire and New Mexico. In addition, one
of his recent CDs titled ' Bhairav ' had been voted among the best 50
classical albums of the world for the year 1995 announced in the BBC
Magazine .He is a recipient of the UNESCO Award, Padma Bhushan,
Unicef's National Ambassadorship, the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum,
Honary Doctorate by the University of York, England.
He was all of 12 years old when Amjad Ali Khan gave his first
recital of Sarod. It was the beginning of yet another glorious chapter in
the history of Indian classical music. Taught by his father Hafiz Ali Khan,
a musician to the royal family of Gwalior, Amjad Ali Khan was born on
October 9, 1945, to the illustrious Bangash lineage rooted in the Senia
Bangash School of music, whose musical ancestry can be traced to the times
of Mian Tansen, the immortal court musician of Emperor Akbar. After his
debut on the public stage at 12, the career graph of this musical legend
took the speed of light, and on its way the Indian classical music scene
was witness to regular and scintillating bursts of Raga supernovas.
In keeping with his meticulous passion for his art, Amjad Ali Khan honed
his forte with the singular minded principle of any genuine artiste, he
wanted to secure his reputation in his own country first, before allowing
the rest of the world to be his audience. And thus, it was that India saw
the Sarod being given a new and yet timeless interpretation as Amjad Ali
Khan dominated the classical field and the Indian consciousness. But
unlike many classical purists who perform with dedication in front of the
masses and yet retain a certain questionable privilege in feeling their
art to be above them. Amjad Ali Khan is one of the few maestros who considers
his audience to be the soul of his motivation. As he once said,
"There is no essential difference between classical and popular music.
Music is music. I want to communicate with the listener who finds Indian
classical music remote."
It is this very attitude that has endeared
him and his music into an inseparable fusion of love and harmony with his
listeners. Watching him on stage, you do not feel separate from Amjad Ali
Khan; indeed he makes you feel he is playing for your pleasure and combined
with the rapturous devotion he has for his instrument, it creates a togetherness
between him and the audience that is truly memorable.
Married, with two
sons, who have already been introduced to the concert platform, and are the
seventh generation of musicians in the family, Amjad Ali Khan's wife
Subhalakshmi has been a great exponent of the Indian classical dance,
Bharatnatyam, which, she sacrificed for her family. As a soul, so in his heart,
he is a man who has proven his indomitable belief in the integration of two of
life's greatest forces, love and music. He is a living example of a man who
practices that integration each day of his life, both on stage and off it.
His two sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, have already been
introduced to the concert platform. They are the seventh generation in the
family to continue the Sarod tradition.
