RIP: Ali Akbar Khan, Sarode Maestro & Update
By Kamla Bhatt • Jun 19th, 2009Category: Books, Movies, Music, Televison, Americas, Diaspora, India, People, San Francisco, YouTube Videos
Sarode maestro Ali Akbar Khan (April 14, 1922 – June 18, 2009) passed away in his Marin county home at 10 pm PST on last night June 18, 2009. He was surrounded by his family and loved ones in the final hours. For the last few years Khan sahib had been in frail health and since 2004 had been on dialysis.
The memorial service and burial of Khan sahib will be held at Mt. Tamalpais Cemetary (2500 5th Ave, San Rafael, CA 94901), Sunday, June 21st at noon. This will be followed by a gathering at the Ali Akbar College of Music.
Instead of flowers, the family asks that if you would like to help, please send send your donation to AACM for the Ali Akbar Khan Library.Some media reports have incorrectly reported that Khan sahib passed away at his Ali Akbar College of Music in San Francisco. This is incorrect.
A wonderful and gentle teacher, Khan sahib was one of the early ambassadors of Indian classical music to the western world. A frequent visitor to the US since the 1950s, Khan saheb settled down here in the 1960s and established a school for teaching Indian classical music. Located in San Rafael in Marin County, north of San Francisco, Khan sahib’s school was a magnet for musicians from all over the world.
Every evening just before 6 pm Khan sahib (video clip) would arrive at the school, and climb up the stairs to the first floor where he held his music classes. The class consisted of a mix of students with varying backgrounds and ethnicity, but they all had one thing in common: their love for music. During the break and after the class was over it was very common to find students gathered around his white upholstered chair and he would patiently listen and answer all their questions. He was a great listener with a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh.
Khan sahib leaves behind a rich legacy of his music and teachings. For the last several years Mary Khan, his wife, has been painstakingly digitizing all his recordings to be made available to the public.
In 2002 I had an opportunity of meeting and spending time with Khan sahib both at his school and his home, where he patiently answered all my questions and clarified some others. At the initial meeting he realized that I had lot of unanswered questions, and extended an invitation to come and visit him in his home the following week He spent an afternoon answering question and sharing anecdotes. (This was before the YouTube, flip camera and smart phone.) Later that year I attended his 80th birthday celebration, where well-known musicians (both Indian classical and western) came to pay their respect to him. The event was held at a local auditorium attended by hundreds of his followers and admirers.
May his soul rest in peace. Thank you Khan sahib for sharing your wonderful music and gift with so many people.
[...] 2002 Ali Akbar Khan or khan sahib as was fondly referred to by people around him made time to do an interview that was [...]
First to report on the internet, thank you.
Amazing how google is not picking up much on this.
Our star has left. Amazing person who contributed so much to our World.
Big hearted and the best sarod player I have ever met. Of course he loved good food.
Sunita Dutt
Board Chair
[...] sharing your wonderful music and gift with so many people,” with these words of appreciation mourns Kamla Bhatt the internationally renowned Sarod Maestro Ali Akbar Khan, who passed away on the 18th [...]
sharing your wonderful music and gift with so many people.Our star has left. Amazing person who contributed so much to our World.
Big hearted and the best sarod player I have ever met. Of course he loved good food