Amjad Ali Khan with Amann and Ayaan Ali Khan

Recent Williams Center performances of Indian music have focused on the distinctive sound of the sitar, with appearances by Anoushka Shankar, Niladri Kumar, and Kartik Seshadri. This concert returns to the darkly hued tones of the sarod, not heard at Lafayette since Ali Akbar Khan’s memorable 1990 performance. We’re pleased to welcome the reigning master of the sarod, Amjad Ali Khan, who was trained by his father and guru, the great Haafiz Ali Khan of Gwalior. Joining him are his sons, Amann Khan and Ayann Khan, already beloved among sarod aficionados as the “next generation” of musical masters on this ancient instrument. Two tabla masters will add percussive richness to the ensemble sound. Favored guests at world music festivals around the globe, the Khans have drawn rave responses at Edinburgh, Brisbane, Hong Kong, and at the London BBC Proms. As musical ambassador for world peace, Amjad Ali Khan has been honored at numerous UNESCO gatherings, and in 1995 was presented the Gandhi Peace Prize. Amjad Ali Khan and his sons were the first non-western musicians to be offered a concert slot at London’s Wigmore Hall.