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“Crossed barriers of language, culture, uniting people through music and melody…The power of their performance rocked the hall.”

Times of India

“A remarkable spiritual and emotional journey … Sharing the great unique treasures of their own artistic traditions … Combining the guitar and sarod results in an extraordinary blend.”

Rolling Stone

BEST MUSIC OF 2020 “I also love the dialogue back and forth between Sharon’s guitar and Ayaan’s sarod…It’s HIGHLY sensual, both in a spiritual way and in a kind of sexy way!”

NPR All Songs Considered

“Seasoned musicians who are at the top of their game, working to bring their musical worlds closer together. Reminiscent of partnerships in the past—remember John McLaughlin and Shakti, Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar, the Beatles, and others—this is music worth hearing!”

American Record Guide

BEST OF 2020 “A spectacular collaboration exploring North Indian classical music … melody, mystique and mood all wrapped up in an hour-long virtuosic journey … at once calming and exciting, brilliant … like so many beautiful sunrises…”

Audiophile Review

“Absolutely stunning, with all five musicians leaving the audiences enthralled.”

Hindustan Times

“A first of its kind truly spectacular international music experience!”

The Asian Age

Strings For Peace is steeped in the tradition of ragas and talas of North Indian classical music with sarod master Amjad Ali Khan, his virtuoso sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, and guitarist Sharon Isbin. The Times of India said about the 2019 tour “[the musicians] crossed barriers of language, culture, uniting people through music and melody … the power of their performance rocked the hall!” The recording was released in 2020 where it debuted at number 3 on the Amazon Hot New Releases/World Music bestseller list and rose to number 2 in its first week.

“The sarod and the guitar belong to a common family of stringed musical instruments. Through this collaboration, we strive to preserve the essence of both Indian and Western traditions so they can flow into each other without artistic compromise. Each of the artists brings the spirit of sharing the great unique treasures of their own artistic traditions, as well as finding common ground in Ragas and Medieval modes. The idea is to achieve a cross-fertilization at both the cellular and cosmic levels of two classical music traditions, which are often held to be radically different. This is a blissful dream of a project, infused with the unique amalgamated contributions of artists united under a common aegis, regardless of their diverse backgrounds, cultures, traditions, generations, genders, religions, upbringing, and career paths.” Amjad Ali Khan

“It is an honor and joy to perform Strings for Peace! The music Amjad Ali Khan has composed for guitar and sarod is sheer genius, and I don’t use this term lightly. In an amazing way, it interweaves our varied musical, spiritual and artistic traditions with mystical beauty, creativity, grace and great emotion.” Sharon Isbin

Program
SPANISH WORK FOR SOLO GUITAR
Sharon Isbin
AMJAD ALI KHAN: SACRED EVENING
Ayaan Ali Bangash and Sharon Isbin
AMJAD ALI KHAN: BY THE MOON
Amaan Ali Bangash and Sharon Isbin
Raga and Folk Music
Amjad Ali Khan
AMJAD ALI KHAN: Romancing Earth
Full Ensemble

Subject to change.