Amjad Ali Khan to play exclusive Scottish date in Perth

Feb 16 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

INDIAN musical legend Amjad Ali Khan – globally acknowledged as the world’s greatest living sarod player – is to perform an exclusive concert in Perth Concert Hall this spring.

The celebrated musician will make his only Scottish appearance in 2010 in Perth on Wednesday, March 10, as part of Perth800 – the 800th anniversary of the granting of Perth’s Royal Charter.

In a dynamic fusion of Indian and Western styles, traditions and instruments, Amjad Ali Khan will join forces with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to perform Samaagam, a piece of music he wrote in collaboration with the SCO and conductor David Murphy.

Meaning ‘confluence’ or ‘coming together’ Samaagam explores the common roots of Indian and Western music and was inspired by the different seasons of the year.

The Samaagam performance is the culmination of a Home and Away community-based festival created by Horsecross Arts, the creative organisation behind Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre.

Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan gave his first recital at the age of six. Taught by his father and ‘guru’, the great Haafiz Ali Khan of Gwalior, Amjad Ali Khan was born to the illustrious Bangash lineage rooted in the Senia Bangash School of music. Today he shoulders the sixth generation inheritance of this legendary lineage performing worldwide to much acclaim, collecting awards and honours along the way.

Khan is one of the few maestros who consider 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.”

The Samaagam concert also features music and dance performed by local school children and community participants alongside their mentors from the SCO and Scottish/Indian dance group Dance Ihayami.

Open to members of the public and free for children aged 16 and under, Samaagam starts at 7pm on Wednesday, March 10. Tickets and information from Horsecross box office on 01738 621031 and online www.horsecross.co.uk