The Music Circle will present an evening of classical Indian music by Aashish Khan, known for the rich and sonorous sounds he produces on the sarode as well as his treasure trove of rarely heard ragas. He will be accompanied by tabla maestro Swapan Chaudhury.
Khan is the grandson of the legendary Allaudin Khan and son of the late, great sarode master and teacher, Ali Akbar Khan. Aashish Khan is now the leader of the famous Maihar style, which produced several renowned artists, including sitar great Ravi Shankar. Besides his virtuosity as a traditional sarodist, Khan was a pioneer in the establishment of the world music genre, has worked on many musical products for both film and stage and collaborated with many well-known western musicians. His many recordings include “Golden Strings of the Sarode” with Zakir Hussain on tabla, which was nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Traditional World Music Album” category.
Khan has collaborated a host of musically diverse Western artists such as John Barham, George Harrison, Ringo Star, Eric Clapton, Charles Lloyd, John Handy, Alice Coltrane, Emil Richards, Dallas Smith, Don Pope, and the Philadelphia String Quartet. He has received high awards for his achievement in India, a Grammy nomination in the U.S., and has been named a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. A respected teacher, he has been on faculties of various universities and, currently is on the faculty of CalArts School of Music in Valencia.
Swapan Chaudhuri, a legendary musician whose ingenuity has ushered in a purely new style of tabla playing, is distinguished as one of the most senior and sought after tabla players and teachers. Chaudhury has toured as a soloist and accompanist throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia accompanying the greatest vocal and instrumental maestros from India today. He has appeared extensively on TV and radio, and has produced numerous recordings that led to Grammy nominations in 1997 and 1998. He is chair of North Indian Classical Music in the World Music program at CalArts.
The Music Circle is the premier presenter of classical Indian music and dance in Southern California since 1973 and is based in the beautiful, meditative setting of Occidental College.
Saturday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m. Herrick Chapel (end of Alumni Drive, past Campus Road), Occidental College, Los Angeles. $30 general; $20 members; $5 students. Tickets sold only at the door a half-hour before concert. (626) 449-6987. www.musiccircle.org.