India's musical siblings to make China debut with rare instrument
Updated: 2016-05-16 08:40
By Chen Nan(China Daily)
|
||||||||
Many decades ago, classical music performances were limited to the aristocracy in many parts of the world but in more recent times they have become accessible to the masses.
Amjad Ali Khan, who was born in a family of well-known musicians, has been performing globally since the 1960s.
As young boys, the brothers learned to play the sarod from their father and often sat close to him during his shows to observe his style as well as understand the audience.
Calling their father "abba", the brothers say one of the most important things they learned from him was that for classical musicians "music isn't just a profession but a way of life".
"From the time we were born, the language spoken was that of music ... Though our father is a strict traditionalist, he has always believed in adapting to change. Indian classical music has no rules about how it should be presented. That's very individualistic," says Amaan Ali Khan.
Growing up while listening to different genres of music, the brothers, like their father, have tried to take the sarod to new audiences.
With their roles as performers, composers and conductors, they have had many collaborations with foreign musicians, such as performing with US folk songwriter Carrie Newcomer and Grammy nominated Oud player Rahim Alhaj to make the ancient instrument fit into the contemporary scene.
The brothers' joint album, Moksha, was nominated at the Grammys for best traditional world music album in 2005.
Amaan Ali Khan also says their mother, Subhalakshmi Khan, an artist herself, who learned bharatanatyam (an Indian classical dance) from the late exponent Rukmini Devi Arundale, sacrificed her career for the family.
"Today what we are, who we are is all owing to her contribution," says Amaan Ali Khan.
Ayaan Ali Khan himself is also a father with twin boys, Zohaan and Abeer.
"They seem quite passionate about music but there's no pressure. They are three and a half but their grandfather has already started lessons," he says.
If you go
7:30 pm, Saturday. Shanghai Center Theater, 1376 Nanjing West Road, Shanghai. 021-6279-8663.
3 pm, May 27. Central Conservatory of Music, 43 Baojia Street, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6642-5746.
- Karst wonderland in Southwest China
- Love on the rubble: wedding stories after deadly quake eight years ago
- Italy's violin-makers struggle to hit profitable note
- High-tech gadgets shine at CES Asia in Shanghai
- Cannes Film Festival opens amid terror threat
- Supporters of Rousseff clash with police as her removal looms
- Lego opens world's largest store at Shanghai Disney
- Exhibition of table setting art held in Beijing
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
Liang avoids jail in shooting death
China's finance minister addresses ratings downgrade
Duke alumni visit Chinese Embassy
Marriott unlikely to top Anbang offer for Starwood: Observers
Chinese biopharma debuts on Nasdaq
What ends Jeb Bush's White House hopes
Investigation for Nicolas's campaign
Will US-ASEAN meeting be good for region?
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |