London's Wigmore Hall welcomes Ustad Amjad Ali Khan

The leading international recital venue which specialises in hosting chamber music performances has invited the sarod maestro to design and plan their festival on India.

"I am honoured to be invited to be a resident at the Wigmore Hall. Forty years ago Pandit Ravi Shankar had performed there and I became the next musician to perform a solo concert two years ago," Khan told PTI.

The residency is scheduled to begin on October 4.

"They have asked me to help design their India festival and assist them. They have a very traditional European instrumental music and are
now opening up to classical music from other cultures," says Khan.

The maestro, accompanied by his two sons Amaan and Ayan would also be performing in various cities in the US during next month.

"The residency does not need my physical presence in London and am free to give concerts," says Khan whose world fusion album "Everything is Everywhere" featuring him and his sons with American folk singer Carrie Newcomer was released recently.

Also, Wigmore Live label is releasing "Amjad Ali Khan: Indian Classical Ragas."

Khan had previously performed with the Scottish Chamber of Orchestra led by Welsh conductor David Murphy and in the year 2009 gone on a six-city India tour with "Samagam," a sarod concerto. He had also performed for Duke Ellington when the American jazz master toured to India in the 1960s.

"Earlier people, especially in the west did not know about the sarod and were more familiar with the sitar. Things have changed now and over the last 30 to 40 years there has been a growing audience for sarod globally."

"Also, previously, I used to travel alone now my sons accompany me. They have developed their own individual styles now and give solo concerts of their own," says the musician who began playing when he was 5.

The musician has engaged with other musical traditions and in the past performed in prestigious venues in London, Brussels, Vienna, Madrid, Manhattan, Toronto and Santa Fe among others.

"Music is universal and spontaneous" says Amjad Ali Khan who belongs to a seven generations old family of musicians.