Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan: Sensational Strings

Date: Sunday, October 16, 4 pm
Price: $40 Orchestra, $30 Balcony
Friends: $36 Orchestra, $27 Balcony
A limited number of tickets are available for students with valid ID through Raag-Mala Toronto

The Aga Khan Museum is proud to partner with the Raag-Mala Music Society of Toronto to bring the finest musicians performing Raag Sangeet (North Indian Classical music) to Toronto audiences.

Throughout their 2022 concert season, Raag-Mala Toronto will present five carefully selected vocalists and instrumentalists who are masters of their craft. Paying homage to tradition while carrying on this ancient art form, Raag-Mala Toronto presents a masterclass in musical complexity through a series of raags — improvisations based on musical scales that serve as the lifeblood of Indian classical music and have no traditional western equivalent.

Enjoy an afternoon of masterful melodies with Padma Shri Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan. Representing the seventh generation of the Etawah Gharana, Shahid Parvez Khan is a member of a musical tradition committed to the sitar. He is a master of both the melodies of Raag and the rhythms of North and South India. Considered a child prodigy, he began classical vocal training in the foundations of gayaki ang at age three and was performing in public by the age of eight. Recognized as one of the greatest sitar players in the world, he has received numerous prestigious awards such as the Sangeet Natak Academy Award and has performed at major music festivals all over the world. Committed to passing on traditions and knowledge to future generations, Shahid Parvez Khan is the founder of the SPK Academy of music.

Each raag in Indian classical music is traditionally played at specific times making Padma Shri Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan's performance a unique opportunity to enjoy an afternoon raag. 

About Raag Sangeet

Raag Sangeet is a centuries-old tradition in which knowledge is transmitted from a guru (teacher) to their disciple. An artist will typically present bandishes (compositions) learned from their guru, with improvisations dependent on the artist's creativity. An artist generally decides on bandishes, and the Raags (melodies) they are based on, just prior to their performance. The decision is often based on their mood, and the audience's energy receptivity to their performance. Connoisseurs often recognize the Raags on which these bandishes are based, whereas most listeners treat the performance as if meeting a friend - with curiosity and openness.