BIOGRAPHY
 Nishat
Khan was commissioned to compose a sitar concerto for
the BBC Proms.
He performed this concerto " Gate of the Moon"
with the BBC Welsh Philharmonic Orchestra in
a sold out concert at the Royal Albert Hall,London in
August 2013.
In 2013 Nishat composed a
live soundtrack for the black and white
film from the silent era, Franz Osten's "Throw
of Dice" for the 100 Years Celebration of Indian
Cinema.This was held at the Siri Fort Auditorium in
New Delhi.This was commissioned by the Governmentt of
India!
Nishat Khan is universally acknowledged
as a leading sitar player of his time, transcending
musical barriers with his provocative expression and
spellbinding technical mastery. The son and disciple
of Ustad Imrat Khan Nishat Khan stands at the threshold
of the future of sitar and Indian music with his uniquely
invigorating, contemporary approach.
 Born
in Kolkata, he has been dazzling audiences since the
age of seven, and was the youngest performer ever to
play All-India Radio at the age of thirteen.
His virtuosity has been compared to such luminaries
as Jimi Hendrix (Chicago Sun Times) and J.S. Bach (Washington
Times) because of the ingenious and deeply personal
interpretation of his rich musical heritage.
Exemplifying the humanity and universality of music,
Nishat Khan has mastered not only the North Indian classical
idiom but has also worked with musics diverse as Gregorian
chant, Western classical music, jazz, and Flamenco.
His sensitive phrasing and remarkable intuition has
led to collaborations with the world's leading performers
and composers such as John McLaughlin, Philip Glass,
Paco Pena, Evelyn Glennie.
Nishat recently composed for his first Bollywood
film with the acclaimed director Sudhir
Mishra "Yeh Saali Zindagi" which
had tremendous success!!
He has performed at major venues internationally, including
Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center in New York, and
the Royal Albert Hall in London. In January 2004, the
President of Croatia received Maestro Khan in Zagreb,
where he performed "Meeting of Angels" with
Gregorian chant. Later that year, he was invited to
perform alongside Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jeff
Beck, John McLaughlin and others at the Crossroads Festival
in Dallas, Texas. In Summer 2007 he toured across India
in a fiery fusion with violinist Vanessa Mae. In 2008
he toured Europe with his pioneering project, "Spirit
& Passion" featuring Flamenco guitar great
Paco Pena and his ensemble. In 2008 Nishat made Indian
music history performing for the second time for the
Henry Wood Promenade Art Concert at the Royal Albert
Hall.
 In
April 2002, Maestro Khan received an award for his inspiration
and dedication to humanity from a foundation linked
to the United Nations (past recipients included Sting
and Nelson Mandela). In August 2002, he was invited
to perform at the Japanese Parliament DIET in Tokyo
where his concert marked the 50th Anniversary of Indo-Japanese
diplomatic relations. He received an award for his dedication
and musical excellence from the Pacific Asia Museum
in Los Angeles in October 2004. In 2005 he was honored
with a U.S. Congressional Award for Contribution to
Culture and Community. He has taught at UCLA and many
other prestigious universities, and routinely conducts
master classes internationally.
Nishat Khan's trademark sitar playing is most lyrical,
as is evident in all his music. He masterfully extends
this lyricism into developing further his family's hallmark
sitar and surbahar playing, pioneered by his forefathers
in an unbroken lineage of seven generations.
In November 2013, Nishat opened the International Film
Festival in Goa a grand duet performance with the legendary
Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj in specially choreograph
performance. Recently performed at Theatre de la Ville,Paris 2015. Concert at the Budapest Festival 2015. Collaboration with artist sculptor Anish Kapoor in London 2015. Concert at Kennedy Center in Washington DC 2015. Visited Tehran with the Prime Minister's delegation and performed a solo concert at the Vahdat Hall in 2016. Performed the Barbican Hall in 2016.These are some of my new events besides others!
The Guardian, London
"infinite imaginative variety"!
The Times
"hypnotic,better music for the soul"!
Daily Telegraph
" the real thing"!
|
