Music and art must be accessible to all, said Ustad Nishat Khan as he interacted with media and guests at the Royal Opera House Muscat on Tuesday, just the day before the concert.
A special concert of two parts featuring one of India’s greatest classical musicians, playing the sitar, a plucked, stringed instrument celebrated for its distinctive lingering sound. The second half of the concert will be led by the European Philharmonia, conducted by Walter Proost.
Nishat Khan is a master of the art of sitar, descended from seven generations of virtuosos. He has performed at the most prestigious concert venues across the world, presenting his sitar symphony Gate of the Moon first in 2013 at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms. And now he will perform it at ROHM.
“I wanted to dedicate this composition to the moon because it has fascinated me throughout my life,” Khan said.
When asked which raga comes to his mind when he sees the moon, “There are compositions with the moon mentioned, but sometimes it is something else totally just because it looks different and the moon does so each day.”
This is his first visit to the Sultanate of Oman. “I am excited to perform here because the Royal Opera House Muscat is a jewel in the world,” he said.
He is the seventh-generation musician from his family that goes back to performing during the Mughal era.
He began performing at a very young age, “I was given a sitar even before I could sit. As I grew up, I would practice for 11 hours a day, and later it became nine hours.”
He was the youngest performer ever to play sitar on the All India Radio at the age of 13. By 1977, he was already in the international arenas, starting by performing with his father, Imrat Khan, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
As a composer and music producer, he has collaborated with some of the world's leading musicians, such as Paco Peña, John McLaughlin, Philip Glass, Evelyn Glennie, Carlos Santana, and Django Bates.
is sitar concerto "Gate of the Moon" to be performed at ROHM is much awaited.
Nishat Khan is well known for his collaborative works, such as his work with John McLaughlin for the 1993 album titled The Promise, the comparative piece with Philippines Glass with opera and Nisham’s raga Germany in 1993, his collaboration with Paco Peña featuring flamenco and sitar, and concerts with these artists as well as Evelyn Glennoe. He has also composed songs for the Indian film industry.
Today the AI might play a bigger role in composing music, but this is what the renowned musician has to say: “Handling AI is about personal integrity when it comes to compositions. AI is a challenge in every sphere of our lives. But AI is here to stay. So it is important we continue to practice and work hard to create our own compositions.”
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