Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan enthralls US audience

- Planet Bollywood Special Correspondant           Let us know what you think about this story

Explaining first to the audience the distinction of sound made by the fingertips as opposed to the fingernail on the sarod, Khan went through renditions of the raga Shri Ganesh Kalyan, composed by him, and the Shiv Kalyan before entertaining the audience with the folk music of Bengal.

Prior to his recital at the Jack Morton auditorium last night, the Ustad mingled with guests at a reception.

Talking to PTI, he said, "I have some beautiful memories of Washington right from the first time I came here in 1963 as a young boy at the invitation of the Asia Society." "Today I really feel happy that over the last 25 years people have gradually realised the sound of sarod. Earlier they were only familiar with the sitar," he said.

Khan said he has had a recent composition along with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

"I would like to bring that orchestra to America some day-- about 50 or 60 musicians -- and I have written a piece for one hour," he said.

The orchestra will be visiting India soon.

"It is something new and at this stage of my life I am doing musical flirtation," Khan said.

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