SAROD VIRTUOSO
AMJAD ALI KHAN
WITH AMAAN ALI BANGASH & AYAAN ALI BANGASH
Saturday, November 1, 2025 AT 8pm
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WORAH FAMILY FOUNDATION
Amjad Ali Khan: Sarod
Amaan Ali Bangash: Sarod
Ayaan Ali Bangash: Sarod
Accompanied by
Nilan Chaudhury: Tabla
Amit Kavthekar: Tabla
This performance is presented without an intermission.
It brings me immense joy and honor to share my music with the discerning listeners of Irvine.
At the heart of Indian classical music lies the raga — a melodic framework made up of ascending and descending notes. But a raga is far more than just a scale. It possesses unique characteristics: specific prominent notes, signature phrases, and associations with particular times of day or seasons. Interestingly, there is no scientific reasoning behind why certain ragas are considered morning or evening ragas, or why they are linked to specific seasons. These associations have evolved through centuries of tradition, intuition, and feeling.
Personally, I believe there are only two kinds of music: one that is pure sound, and the other that is rooted in literature, lyrics, and narrative. Pure sound, to me, is the most profound form of expression. As the saying goes, “language creates barriers,” but music — in its purest form — transcends them. Through sound, neither lies nor harm can be conveyed. Music is something to be deeply felt and experienced. While I have great respect for poetic traditions and the messages of revered saints, my own spiritual connection resides in the world of sound. It is through sound that I feel the divine presence.
In Indian classical music, performers rarely decide on a specific raga or rhythmic cycle (tala) far in advance. These decisions are often made close to, or even on, the day of the performance. Our music is unwritten, improvised, and deeply connected to the mood and emotional state of the artist at that moment.
Since childhood, my dream has been for the sarod to embody the full spectrum of human emotion — to sing, whisper, cry, even shout. Over the decades, and by the grace of the heavens, I believe the sarod has evolved to become far more expressive than it was forty years ago.
This evening's concert is structured in three segments. The first half will feature a duet by my sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash. I believe that a deep personal connection between artists enhances their musical chemistry — and in their case, the natural bond between brothers adds rich texture and color to the performance.
The second segment will be my solo performance, where I will explore ragas and traditional folk melodies.
The final segment will bring all three of us together in a sarod trio. This collaborative section represents a living tradition passed from generation to generation — a musical dialogue between father and sons. Throughout this segment, we alternate roles and interact with one another, accompanied by the tabla (Indian twin hand drums). One of the fascinating aspects of Indian classical music is that none of the performers know in advance what the others will play — and yet, we must perform with the unity and precision of a rehearsed orchestra. In this sense, each of us simultaneously takes on the role of performer, composer, and conductor — all in one.
Supporting the ensemble is a travel-friendly tanpura, a drone instrument that anchors the music in the true tonic, providing a sonic foundation throughout the performance.
Amjad Ali Khan is one of the world’s most distinguished masters of Indian classical music. Born to the legendary sarod virtuoso Haafiz Ali Khan, he gave his first performance at the age of six and is credited with reinventing the technique of sarod playing. Over a remarkable career spanning more than six decades, he has received countless honors, including a Grammy nomination, the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum, UNICEF’s National Ambassadorship, and the Fukuoka Cultural Grand Prize.
He has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Nobel Peace Prize Concert (2014) in Oslo, Norway. His first sarod concerto, Samaagam, has been performed by leading orchestras such as the Britten Sinfonia, London Philharmonia, Orchestre National d'Île de France, Gulbenkian Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera, and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
A respected educator, Amjad Ali Khan has served as a visiting professor at Stanford University, the University of New Mexico, and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to global music and classical artistry, he received the Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards.
The United Nations Day Concert in 2018 featured Amjad Ali Khan with his sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, alongside the Refugee Orchestra Project, in a program dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and themed Traditions of Peace and Non-Violence.
In 2020 and 2021, he joined Gwen Stefani and Jon Bon Jovi for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and multi-Grammy Award winner Joe Walsh’s VetsAid Charity Concert. Together with his sons and Walsh, he released the three-track EP Prayers—a tribute to doctors and frontline workers. This cross-cultural collaboration beautifully merges the musical traditions of East and West, celebrating the universal spirit of harmony and shared human expression.
Representing the seventh generation of a distinguished musical lineage, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash are the sons and disciples of sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan. Renowned for their technical mastery and lyrical expression, the brothers bring fresh energy to a centuries-old tradition.
They have performed worldwide at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Royal Albert Hall, and collaborated with artists including Derek Trucks, Sharon Isbin, and the Chicago Philharmonic. Their performances of Samaagam, their father’s sarod concerto, have been featured with major orchestras including those of New Jersey, Adelaide, Moscow, and Atlanta.
Recipients of the Global Music Award Gold Medal for their album Peace Worshippers, Amaan and Ayaan also appeared at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert (2014) and the UN Day Concert (2018). Recently named Associate Artists at London’s Wigmore Hall, they continue to honor and expand their family’s remarkable musical legacy.
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