In 1955, Ali Akbar Khan, 33 years old and at the top of his career in India, was invited to tour Europe and the United States at the behest of renowned violinist Sir Yehudi Menuhin. He became the first Indian Classical maestro who not only carved a very special place for himself in the evolving World Music scene of the US, but introduced the ‘Sarode’, and his astounding mastery over this difficult instrument, thus revealing its sonic majesty on the first ever long-play recording of Indian Music in this country. 

From that riveting moment on, an enduring relationship began, resulting in Ali Akbar’s constant return to these distant shores to create discerning, knowledgeable audiences for Indian Classical music across the United States and the western world. Between an endless stream of concert performances and teaching schedules as well as his huge work schedules in India, Ali Akbar Khan established the Ali Akbar College of Music in the Bay Area (in 1967), and started the introduction of formidable Indian Music Classicists as teachers and guest performers. The college, originally based in Calcutta, India, also has a branch in Basel- Switzerland. 

Between then (1955) and now (2005), Ali Akbar Khan (who lives by the rule that losing one microsecond equates the loss of a quarter beat), has worked tirelessly – almost wordlessly - through his several schools, his concerts and his recordings, to create avenues of understanding and discovery through the one thing he knows and loves best – his music and the legacy of tradition bequeathed him by his father Baba Alauddin Khan – fountainhead of the Seniya Maihar Beenkar Gharana discipline of North Indian Classical Music and Guru to a host of India’s best known musicians. The work of Baba Allauddin and his son Ali Akbar totals a collective 130 years of teaching and the number of students – worldwide – is a few hundred thousand. 

At the core of this grand association sans borders remains a family dedicated to and forever inspired by the spirit of the sarode. From father to sons and daughters, mentor to students, the cycles unfold and evolve – forever yielding a great new crop of musicians – ardent in their pursuit, celebrating discovery, forever inspired … 

2005 marks the 50th anniversary of the work of this gentle, publicity shy pioneer in the United States. 

October 29th at the prestigious Marin Civic Centre Auditorium in the Bay area of San Francisco, simply presents a teacher and his sons/disciples in a concert titled “The Spirit of the Sarod” – presenting the unique, individual perceptions of the mentor Ali Akbar Khan, and the students – his sons Aashish and Alam. 

Accompanying the trio is super percussionist Swapan Chaudhari on Tabla. Manik Khan, the youngest son of Ali Akbar Khan and an upcoming and very promising sarodist in his own right, accompanies on Tanpura.