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 Taalim
(Learning)
Aashish Khan was initiated into North Indian Classical Music
at the age of five by his grandfather, the legendary Acharya Baba
Allauddin Khan Sahib,exponent of the Senia Beenkar and Senia Rababiya
Gharana founded in the 16th Century by Mian Tansen, court musician
to Emperor Akbar. Also he has learned music under the guidance of
his father, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and aunt, Smt. Annapurna Devi,
presently the leading exponents of the "Senia Maihar Gharana",
in the Beenkar and Rababiya Anga (style) bearing the Dhrupad style
of vocal music.
Aashish gave his first
public performance at the age of 13, with his grandfather, on the
All India Radio National Program along with Pandit Kanthe Maharaj
on Tabla, in New Delhi. In that same year, 1953, he performed with
his father and grandfather at the Tansen Music Conference, Calcutta.
In 1961, he accompanied his father Ustad Ali Akbar Khan as a representative
by the Government of India to the East West Music Encounter in Tokyo,
Japan. In1967 he played a Sarode duet with his father at the Hollywood
Bowl, Los Angeles, for an audience of over 20,000 people and gained
acclaim. Since then, he has performed throughout India and the World,
not only with his father but also as a soloist in his own right.
Besides his virtuosity as a traditional sarodist, for which he was
recognized in 1996 with the "Best Sarode Player" award
from the All India Critics Association of India, he is considered
to be one of the most distinguished musicians of the Seniya Beenkar
and Seniya Rababiya Gharana and a music teacher throughout India
and the World.
Sarode Concerto
He was the first to write a Sarode concerto in Raag form in 1972.
Ballet and Movies
He has composed music for Ballets, Movies and worked with Uday Shankar.
With Pandit Ravi Shankar, he has worked on many musical projects
for both films and stage, including Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sangsar,
Parash Pathar, Jalsha Ghar, Goopi Gayen Bagaha Bayen and Sir Richard
Attenborough’s film Gandhi. He has also worked with Maurice
Jarre on John Houston’s film "The Man Who Would Be King",
Clint Eastwood’s film "Breezy" and David Lean’s
"A Passage to India", Ismile Merchant's "Mystic Massure".
He has composed the music for Tapan Sinha’s films "Aadmi
aur Aurat" and "Joturgriha", for which he has received
the "Best Film Score Award" by the Bengal Film Journalist’s
Association.
Collaboration with
Western Musicians
Aashish Khan has collaborated with such diverse Western musicians
as John Barham, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Charles
Lloyd, John Handy, Alice Coltrane,Charlie Hadan, David Rosenboom,
Miroslav Tadic, Vinny Golia, Randy Gloss, Rachel Rudich, Alfred
ladzekpo, I Nyoman Wenten, George Brooks, Emil Richards, Dallas
Smith, Don Pope, Jorge Strunz, Ardeshir Farah and the Philadelphia
String Quartet.
Composer and Conductor
In 1989/90 Aashish was appointed to the prestigious post of Composer
and Conductor for the National Orchestra, Vadya Vrinda of All India
Radio, New Delhi, succeeding musical stalwarts as Pandit Ravi Shankar
and Pandit Pannalal Ghosh.
First to re-present
Indian Classical Music to South Africa
In 1991 Aashish travelled to South Africa on a concert tour organized
by the Government of India and South Africa. He was the first Indian
Musician to represent India as an ambassador of Indian culture and
classical music. Association of Human Values. In 2002 he has also
received "The Fellowship Award" from The Illinois Arts
Council, Chicago, USA for conserving and continuing the Indian Musical
Heritage.
Shringar
In the year 2003, along with performances around the world and his
execution of passion as a Music Guru (teacher) he has also formed
an Indo-Jazz group in New Orleans called "Shringar", to
continue his contributions to "World Music" and harmony
of Inter Cultural diversities.
Music Guru
A Teacher for many years and formerly on the faculties of the Ali
Akbar College of Music in Calcutta, India ( 1956 to 1967)and San
Rafael, California (1970), Ravi Shankar’s Kinnara School of
Indian Classical Music (1968), The University of Washington, Seattle
(1969-70), In 1978 Aashish and his brother Pranesh Khan founded
the "Allauddin Academy of Music and Performing Arts" in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Also taught at The University of Alberta,
Edmonton, Canada. He teaches students throughout the United States,
Canada, Europe, South Africa and India while pursuing a busy career
as a concert artist and composer.
At present he is a Faculty
member at the CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS, IN VALENCIA, CALIFORNIA,
Where he is teaching The North Indian Music.
Asian Fantasy Orchestra
Aashish has also represented India in the prestigious "Asian
Fantasy Orchestra" (1998) along with other Asian musicians
from countries like Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Phillipines,
Korea and many more to contribute and share Indian music for the
cause of "Inter Cultural Harmony" among Asian countries.
Music for Peace
Aashish has also performed in the "Music for Peace" Concert,
Montreal, Canada (2002), a fusion of Balkan and Indian Rhythms,
supported by the Art of Living Foundation and the International
Awards
In 2005 Aaashish Khan received the SANGEET NATAK ACADEMY from the
PRESIDENT OF INDIA DR. A.P. KALAM , One of the Hihghest Award for
the Classical Traditional Music of India.
2007 he has been nominated
for the GRAMMY AWARD for the Traditional Classical Music of India,
under the WORLD MUSIC CATEGORY.
The Royal Asiatic Society
of Great Britain and Ireland, UK’s highest body relating to
Asian studies, has elected Sarode virtuoso Ustad Aashish Khan to
the fellowship of the society. The Royal Asiatic Society of Great
Britain and Ireland, patronised by Prince Charles, was founded in
1824 to investigate subjects related to science and arts in Asia.
Past fellows of the society include Indologists Sir Aurel Stein,
Sir Wilfred Thesiger, Poet Rabindranath Tagore, Historian Sir Jadunath
Sircar, and Political Scientist Professor Emeritus Satyabrata Rai
Chowdhuri.
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