The 'Concert For Hope' premiere is an opportunity to cherish the enchanting performance of legendary Indian classical musician Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. The sarod maestro will be joined by his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash for the concert.
Bringing in the Asian musical fusion is the Singaporean Chinese Orchestra conducted by Tsung Yeh. They render a collaborative piece which was composed by Khan sahib, and a few Indian classics.
The concert aims to preserve the essence of both Indian and Western cultures so they can blend into each other seamlessly while conveying different moods and emotions.
“Samaagam, derived from sanskrit, actually means confluence or the act of flowing together. 'Concert For Hope' has been organized with an aim to preserve the essence of both Indian and Western traditions to flow into each other with no artistic compromises. Every raga has a soul and every musical note is the sound of God. In Samaagam 12 different ragas are presented. Some will make only a fleeting appearance; others will be explored for longer," said Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.
Speaking about the Coronavirus pandemic that has engulfed India and the globe, Khan sahib lauded the front-line workers who were diligently discharging their duties."May almighty bless all doctors, nurses, and the emergency workers during these trying times who are working round-the-lock all over the world.”
The maestro's son Ayaan Ali Bangash hoped that that the pandemic ends soon and things return to normalcy.
“The aim is, through this process, to joyfully explore the common musical 'DNA' of both traditions. We hope and pray that the planet heals very soon. We have used the orchestration of Indian ensemble music in the pre-Bollywood era as inspiration and have also looked back to the ancient Western tradition incorporating elements which, because of their antiquity, do not violate the rules of Indian music.
Amaan Ali Bangash also expressed concern over safety of healthworkers who are risking their lives everyday to save Covid-19 infected patients."We are going through a very difficult time. Some people are worried if they would even have a source of income in the days to come; there are healthcare workers risking their own safety to save others' lives, and other front-line workers who can’t afford to stay at their own homes."
Trained by his father Haafiz Ali Khan, the virtuoso is the sixth generation sarod player in his family. In his illustrious career spanning decades, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan has received several accolades. Khan sahib is a recipient of the UNESCO Award, Padma Vibhushan, Unicef's National Ambassadorship and The Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum among many others.